The Gazeta Polska Codziennie daily reported that government officials on Monday held talks with teachers’ unions amid a prolonged dispute over pay.
The talks produced no agreement and the government and unionists decided to meet again at the start of next month, the paper said.
Sławomir Broniarz, head of the powerful Polish Teachers’ Union (ZNP), told reporters on Monday that up to 90 percent of employees in schools nationwide were ready to support an all-out strike.
The union wants the strike to begin on April 8, just before some key exams at various levels of education.
But Gazeta Polska Codziennie asserted on Tuesday that, despite what the union leader said, most schools across the country would not take part in the strike.
The paper cited the education ministry as saying that 52 percent of elementary, middle and upper-secondary schools have not held strike referendums.
This means that most educational institutions in Poland will not join the planned protest, the paper claimed, citing the education ministry.
Public opposed as strike looms: poll
Meanwhile, the Rzeczpospolita daily quoted a survey according to which more than 60 percent of Poles are against teachers striking at a time of important school exams.
At the same time, respondents to the survey by pollster IBRiS said they were convinced teachers would eventually secure the pay raises they are demanding from the government, Rzeczpospolita reported.
Push for pay hikes
Teachers represented by the Polish Teachers’ Union have warned they will launch a strike of unlimited duration unless the government increases their wages by PLN 1,000 (EUR 230, USD 265) a month.
Another union known as the Trade Unions Forum (FZZ) is also demanding a monthly pay raise of PLN 1,000 for teachers across the country beginning this year, public broadcaster Polish Radio’s IAR news agency has reported.
Meanwhile, the Solidarity union wants teachers’ monthly pay to rise by PLN 650 this year and by a further 15 percent next year, according to the IAR news agency.
The education ministry has said that it last year began carrying out a government plan to raise teachers' pay.
Spending on teachers' salaries is set to increase by 16.1 percent by September compared with March last year, according to the ministry.
(gs/pk)
Source: Gazeta Polska Codziennie, Rzeczpospolita