MINISTRY OF EDUCATION THREATENS: Salaries of education workers participating in strikes will be reduced!

The Ministry of Education has issued a notice to the directors of primary and secondary schools stating that the January salaries of employees who participated in the strike should be reduced.

The notice was sent to schools “in response to numerous and frequent inquiries from teachers, educators, school directors, and parents of students regarding the application of regulations on work obligations and strikes in the education and upbringing system,” the Ministry stated.

“In line with the current situation concerning the employees’ strike, on the one hand, and the employer’s obligations on the other, we draw attention to the following provisions of the law: Article 14 of the Strike Act stipulates that organizing or participating in a strike under the conditions set by this law does not constitute a violation of work obligations, cannot be grounds for initiating disciplinary or material liability proceedings against the employee, and cannot result in the termination of the employee’s employment,” reads the notice, as seen by N1.

It emphasizes that employees participating in a strike retain basic rights from their employment, except for the right to a salary, while social security rights are realized in accordance with social security regulations.

“Organizers and participants of a strike not organized in accordance with this law are not entitled to the protections provided in paragraphs 1 and 2 of this article. Articles 104 and 105 of the Labor Law define that wages consist of compensation for work performed and time spent working. Thus, in the case of a legally organized strike, the employee is entitled to a proportional part of their salary based on the time worked during the strike,” the notice to directors states.

The Ministry reminds that the minimum work process for a teacher is teaching for 30 minutes per class as part of the daily schedule and administering exams. For professional associates and teachers in extended care, the minimum work process is 20 hours per week.

In cases where the minimum work process is not ensured and the strike is not organized in accordance with the law, employees are not entitled to a salary, as stated in Article 14 of the Strike Act, the notice reiterates.

“Article 126 of the Law on the Basics of the Education System defines the authorities and responsibilities of directors, so it is necessary to apply the aforementioned legal provisions when entering data for the calculation and payment of salaries for January 2025 in the ISKRA system. After entering the data into the ISKRA system for the calculation of the January 2025 salary, the verification of the calculation will be carried out, and only then will it be uploaded into the SPIIRI system,” states the notice signed by the Minister of Education.

Some schools in Serbia continue their suspension of classes today, which has been spreading since Monday. This includes education workers supporting student blockades and those dissatisfied with the representative unions’ agreement with the government on salary increases.

At the same time, a general strike or “general civil disobedience” is taking place, called for by students leading the blockades.