Conflict in education sector triggers strike action

Following widespread industrial turbulence in the area of third-level education, primary and secondary school teachers in Greece initiated strike action lasting six weeks in September 2006. At the same time, students occupied more than 1,000 lower and upper secondary schools. At the end of October, following a meeting with Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis, the teachers agreed to return to work. As a result, the government and the trade union federations had to examine ways to make up for lost teaching time.

On 24 June 2006, participants of the 75th General Assembly of the Primary Teachers’ Federation of Greece (DOE), which represents teachers in primary education, took the decision to initiate industrial action in the sector on 18 September 2006. The strike lasted for six weeks and ended on 27 October. In addition, the local teachers’ unions (ELME), which called a series of two-day strikes, on 2–3 October and 9–10 October, and three-day strikes, on 17–19 October and 24–26 October, supported recommendations by the Federation of Secondary School Teachers of Greece (OLME).

Teachers’ demands

The framework of demands included pay as well as non-pay issues. The primary pay-related demands were for wage increases, specifically: a net €1,400 monthly salary for newly appointed teachers; incorporation of pay supplements in the basic wage; decoupling of pay from performance; and payment of the €176 allowance granted to other categories of public sector employees.

Non-pay demands included: an increase in spending on education to 5% of gross domestic product (GDP); 12 years of compulsory education for all citizens; two years of compulsory pre-primary education; no revision of Article 16 of the Constitution (see below); immediate filling of all job vacancies through collective appointments; abolition of work paid by the hour; retraining for teachers with relief from their teaching duties; lowering of the teacher/student ratio; as well as insurance and pension issues.

OLME made similar demands on behalf of the secondary school teachers, and also called for teachers to be selected on the basis of a system of merit, and for the law on teacher evaluation to be abolished as well as the minimum score of 10/20 required in all third-level education entry examinations.

Support for teachers

University professors and students supported the teachers’ strike: the former had embarked on a strike of indefinite duration while the latter had occupied their schools in May 2006. Their action was sparked by the discussion on the revision of Article 16 of the Constitution for the purpose of establishing non-state universities, as well as the disagreement over the draft framework law on universities, which the government introduced and ultimately withdrew under the pressure of opposition.

Furthermore, the Confederation of Public Servants (ADEDY) expressed solidarity with the teachers through 24-hour strikes and work stoppages on the days when demonstrations were held, while the Greek General Confederation of Labour (GSEE) called four-hour work stoppages and took part in the demonstrations.

Government reaction to demands

Initially, the government maintained that the state budget was insufficient to meet the teachers’ pay demands, including a net basic salary of €1,400 and a €176 pay supplement. It should be noted that, since other categories of public servants receive this pay supplement, teachers had taken the matter to court before the elections in 2004, and succeeded in gaining partial payment, amounting to €73. More recently, the Ministry of National Education and Religious Affairs (YPEPTH) made an initial proposal to increase the allowance from €73 to €105, in six twice-yearly instalments.

Meeting with prime minister

Apart from its symbolic importance, the surprise invitation by Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis to teachers to engage in dialogue on 24 October 2006 was the first step in defusing the crisis. Prime Minister Karamanlis moved the issue of basic pay five or seven years into the future, in the context of agreeing a single pay scale for public servants in talks with ADEDY. As regards payment of the proposed €105 allowance, he retained the three-year schedule but reduced the number of instalments to four. Moreover, Prime Minister Karamanlis stated that €170 million has been set aside for retraining and that the retraining programmes will be among those funded by the fourth European Community Support Framework. He also committed the government to legislation that will make one year of pre-primary education compulsory.

Although teachers were not totally satisfied with their meeting with the prime minister, they decided to return to the classrooms on 30 October 2006 and to continue their campaign through milder forms of industrial action. More specifically, DOE and OLME called for strikes on 3 and 9 November 2006 and for participation in the students’ demonstration on 3 November. Kindergarten and primary school teachers – but not secondary school teachers – who planned to take part only in the students’ demonstration ratified the trade unions’ proposal.

When the teachers returned to work, they found that over 1,000 upper and lower secondary schools had been occupied by the students. Thus, the ministry and the trade union federations had to examine possible ways to make up for the teaching time lost during the strike.

Commentary

Industrial turmoil continues in the education sector, with a second round of action having started at third-level institutes in November 2006, including strikes and occupations. This protest was in light of the discussion on Article 16 which was due to be held in January, as well as the government’s decision to proceed with revising the framework law on higher education.

Elena Rapti, Labour Institute of Greek General Confederation of Labour (INE-GSEE/ADEDY)