Teachers' salaries to rise 6% from September 2017

The salaries of teachers and university lecturers will see a hike of 6 percent as of September 1, 2017, according to an agreement reached between Education, Research, Science and Sport Minister Peter Plavčan (a Slovak National Party/SNS nominee) and education trade unions on Monday. The unions are only partially happy with the terms of the deal, however. A tripartite session between unions, the Education Ministry and the Slovak Towns and Villages Association (ZMOS) is slated for Wednesday (November 30). "The goal will be to incorporate the conclusion of the talks into the 2017 Agreement on Collective Bargaining," said Plavčan. Chairman of the Education and Science Employees Trade Union (OZPSaV) Pavel Ondek claimed that the unions aren't fully satisfied with the results of the talks, however. "Our demand was to have the salaries of university lecturers and teachers increased by at least 10 percent as of January 1, 2017," he said. Ondek pointed out that if he doesn't receive a mandate to sign the 2017 collective agreement - an outcome that will hinge on the decision of OZPSaV leaders expected to be taken by December 1 - the union might not sign the contract.