After-school care, schools, universities: strike in the education sector in Thuringia
Due to a planned warning strike, people in Thuringia must be prepared for restrictions at schools. The GEW trade union has called thousands of state employees to take part in a warning strike on Tuesday. A spokesperson for GEW Thuringia said on Monday that there would be a high turnout. It is expected that more than 1000 employees from Thuringia alone will make their way to Leipzig to take part in a rally.
After-school care at schools in the Free State could be particularly affected. Unlike in many other federal states, after-school care teachers in Thuringia are employed directly by the state - and are therefore affected by the call for a walkout. In Thuringia, there are 3176 nursery school teachers, as the Ministry of Education announced on request.
Teachers in the state are often civil servants, so the impact on teaching is likely to be somewhat less. According to the Ministry of Education, there are 11,714 civil servants and 5,114 salaried teachers in Thuringia. In addition, there are 712 special education specialists in the state service and around 100 educational assistants. Of the 808 trainee teachers, 807 are civil servants on probation. A ministry spokeswoman said that it was assumed "that pupils will be able to attend school".
According to GEW information, "all or almost all nursery school teachers will lay down their work" at a number of schools in the after-school care sector on Tuesday, as the GEW informed in advance. The high level of participation shows the need for significant salary increases in times of high inflation, said Kathrin Vitzthum, head of the GEW in Thuringia. "It is simply very difficult to make ends meet with a part-time position in the after-school care sector at the moment."
Thuringia's Education Minister Helmut Holter (Left Party) said that he supported the employees in their wage dispute and that they deserved a wage increase. Inflation and price increases were not stopping at them either. There was also a shortage of staff. "In the budget negotiations in Thuringia, there should therefore be no cuts in the education sector that have a negative impact on teacher recruitment and the attractiveness of the profession," warned Holter.
The trade unions are demanding a 10.5 percent pay rise, but at least 500 euros per month. The third round of collective bargaining for public sector employees in the federal states is scheduled for December 7 and 8.
The potential tariffs on after-school care services could increase costs for families, due to the strike. Despite the upcoming strike, it's crucial for families to explore alternative educational resources, such as online courses or tutoring services, to ensure their children's continuity in education.
Source: www.dpa.com
