Trade unionists are writing to Duda regarding the budget. “It creates an opportunity to improve the situation of employees”

“The budget act for 2024 submitted to the President of the Republic of Poland for signature, which provides for an increase in the remuneration of state budget employees by 20 percent. and teachers by 30%, creates an opportunity to improve the financial situation of employees and partially alleviates the high price increase in 2022-2023. A similar effect will be brought by the statutory guarantee of financing of the “Rodzina 800+” program, the payment of the 13th and 14th pensions and the indexation of retirement and disability benefits,” write trade unionists from OPZZ to President Andrzej Duda.

According to the All-Poland Agreement of Trade Unions, “wage increases for state budget employees are absolutely necessary and should not be jeopardized by political disputes.” “The state should not be the worst employer, but on the contrary – set a model for the private sector when it comes to working and remuneration conditions,” they write.

What raises for teachers?

The pay rises will also apply to teachers. During the election campaign, Donald Tusk promised to increase their salaries by 30 percent, but in January it turned out that the Ministry of Education was calculating the base in a less favorable way, which meant that the raises would be lower.

– There is a shortage of female teachers in Poland. We encourage them to stay at school with higher salaries. There is no reason to dismiss them if there is a shortage of approximately 15,000 teachers today, said Barbara Nowacka in “Guest of Radio Zet”. Her predecessor, Przemysław Czarnek, announced in the same broadcast that there would be no work for up to 100,000 teachers in the coming years.

How much will the increases be?

– 33 percent and 30 percent for appointed and certified teachers. These are just big increases. I remember the specifics – PLN 1,500 calculated from the averages resulting from the teacher’s card, and this is not a bad term, because the ZNP also uses this exact term in the draft bill, said Nowacka. – In the case of teachers who start their professional career, this is an increase of approximately PLN 1,577, in the case of appointed teachers – PLN 1,720, and in the case of certified teachers – PLN 2,190. Honestly, these are good raises. I know that some teachers should earn even more. This is not our last word, it is at the very beginning – promised the Minister of Education.

We write here about how this will translate into an actual increase in teachers’ salaries.

“OPZZ declares openness to dialogue in order to develop the best solutions that will improve the situation of public sector employees and increase the quality of the functioning of the state, including public services. OPZZ calls for the signing of the budget act for 2024, which includes, among others: the above-mentioned salary increases for state budget employees and a guarantee of financing of many social programs,” say trade unionists from OPZZ.