Steven N.
Vaccine mandates came up in negotiations between two teacher trade unions, the Teachers’ Union (PSZ) and the Democratic Union of Teachers (PDSZ), and the Ministry of Human Resources on Wednesday, reports Népszava.
As part of negotiations to prevent a teachers’ strike, the trade unions asked the government to repeal its intention to make the coronavirus vaccine mandatory for state-sector employees, as well as permitting employers to decide on whether or not to make vaccination mandatory for their workers.
After meeting for three and a half hours, the unions were promised that the government would reconsider these demands by next Wednesday and offer a new proposal, according to Erzsébet Nagy of PDSZ. The unions feel that it is irresponsible for the government to leave the decision on vaccinations to those who have neither the adequate data nor appropriate expertise.
Discussion also focused on increasing salaries for public teachers, but the ministry reiterated that teachers would only receive a 10% raise next year, with a higher adjustment expected for 2023.
However, Nagy said that such an amount would be unacceptable to the trade unions. PSZ President Zsuzsa Szabó stated that “Teachers need a salary that they can live off of,” adding that they will not be swayed from their demands.
[Népszava]
