Teachers in Latvia express readiness to adjust their salaries
On Wednesday, September 25, the Latvian Teachers' and School Employees' Union (LIZDA) gathered for an extraordinary session, sparked by prolonged uncertainty about teacher pay rises in 2025. The meeting was held amidst ongoing negotiations with the Ministry of Education and Science regarding salary increases for next year.
During the session, LIZDA called for a salary increase for university lecturers, an increase that is currently not included in the proposed budget. The teachers' union argued that this omission is inconsistent with the 8.5% increase stipulated by law for teachers next year.
The Minister of Education and Science, Anda Čakša, stated that they will ensure equal pay for teachers working under the same conditions and will divide the new financing model into rounds. However, she also noted that the proposed salary increase for teachers next year is a much more modest 2.6% due to a cap on public sector pay rises.
Teacher Inta Kirilko of Kandava Agricultural Technical School criticized the minister for allowing the ignoring of laws regarding teacher pay rises. She expressed frustration that details of their workload and remuneration package are often only provided after the school year has started.
Despite the current financial constraints, the teachers announced they are ready to agree to the offer if they can agree on a further schedule of teachers' salary increases. The negotiations on this matter will be continued by the Ministry of Education with LIZDA on October 2nd.
The current hourly rate for preschool and general education pedagogues stands at 9.54 euros. Next year, according to the law, this rate should increase to 10.35 euros per hour of teaching work. The current schedule approved by the government ends on January 1, 2025.
Those gathered criticized the inability of politicians to comply with the very laws they had drawn up. They emphasized the importance of fair compensation for teachers, whose work is essential in shaping the future of the nation. The teachers' union reiterated their commitment to securing a fair and equitable salary structure for all educators in Latvia.
The next meeting between the teachers' union and politicians will take place on October 2, where both parties will continue their discussions on the salary increases for teachers in the upcoming years.
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