Gov’t firm on teacher pay hike
As teachers consider whether they will extend their strike action, Education Minister Marietta Giannakou said yesterday that the government has met all pay demands it intends to. A five-day strike called by primary and preschool teachers ends today as educators continue to push ahead with demands for a salary hike of about 40 percent. The Greek Primary Teachers’ Federation (DOE) is demanding an increase in minimum salaries to 1,400 euros from less than 1,000 euros currently. Giannakou said that an additional allowance that has already been agreed upon will be paid as of next year but otherwise the government is not in a fiscal position to meet further demands. «I don’t know if the schools will open because among the demands being made there are some which are way beyond our budgetary policy,» she said after meeting with Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis. According to sources, DOE is likely to agree tomorrow on launching another five-day strike as of Monday.
