Over 2,200 teachers have joined strike

More than 2,200 teachers from 164 schools joined the second edition of the so-called 'gradual strike' and skipped the first two lessons on Wednesday, reported TASR. Last Tuesday, they did not teach one lesson. If their requirements are not fulfilled, they plan to skip three lessons next Thursday. The unhappy teachers demand a hike in their salaries by €140 per month in 2016 and by an additional €90 as of 2017. They also require a reassessment of education available for teachers and increases in the budgets of the Interior and Education Ministries totalling €400 million. Education Minister Peter Plavčan reacted to the strike by saying that teachers' salaries have already been increased by 6% as of this September. Moreover, the ministry plans a 6% hike in teachers' salaries each January until 2020. According to the teachers, this hike is not sufficient to make the job of a teacher more attractive.