Bulgaria President Makes Desperate Effort To Negotiate Teachers Deal

Politics | October 13, 2007, Saturday // 00:00
Bulgaria: Bulgaria President Makes Desperate Effort To Negotiate Teachers Deal Bulgarian president Georgi Parvanov found himself forced to initiate a new meeting with teachers' trade union chiefs and cabinet representatives after three weeks of national strikes and fruitless talks. Photo by Yuliana Nikolova (Sofia Photo Agency)

Bulgarian president Georgi Parvanov has invited trade union chiefs and cabinet representatives to meet on Sunday, in a desperate bid to end the bitter wage dispute that has paralysed the school system in the country.

The president initiated the meeting after representatives of the teachers refused to face experts on Saturday, demanding that they talk to ministers.

The talks were expected to be held over the weekend and were hoped to be the last mile in what have been so far fruitless and protracted negotiations.

To top it all off, the trade unions denied Saturday reports of an agreement reached on a 10% wage increase as of October 1.

The news broke after Bulgarian president Georgi Parvanov hosted talks with trade union chiefs and cabinet representatives on Friday and was viewed as the first indication of backing down to the demands of the striking teachers.

The teachers demand 25% hikes in October, January and July, which would almost double their wages, now averaging at BGN 440 (EUR 226), according to government data.

The government has offered 10% hikes in January and July next year, with an additional 5% thrown in each time, but only for teachers that qualify under certain performance-based criteria.

It would cost Bulgaria's cabinet around BGN 600 M to satisfy their wage demands, but with a growing current account deficit, it can hardly afford to spend its budget surplus on wage hikes, which will further fuel the external imbalances.

At least 50 000 teachers, with unions claiming 75 000, clogged downtown Sofia on Thursday, demanding higher wages and more government spending on education.

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