Teachers Rally for Job Security Amid Contract Uncertainties
In a significant show of unity and concern for their professional future, a group of 1,200 teachers took to the streets on Thursday, demanding job security for their posts. These educators, who have dedicated a decade to working in the ministry’s support programmes, are currently employed under contracts and are facing the grim prospect of unemployment.
The teachers are part of a contingent of contract workers who have been engaged through collective agreements. Their work, vital to the support programmes, is now under threat as their job security hangs in the balance. Andreas Kounnis, the general secretary of Pasey-Peo, likened their employment conditions to “labour of the Middle Ages”, emphasizing the urgency and fear that accompany their uncertain future. “We will exert all our power so that no colleague ends up unemployed,” Kounnis declared, signaling a readiness to take the fight from the negotiating table to the streets if necessary.
Thursday’s demonstration marked the start of what promises to be a determined campaign to ensure that all jobs within the 12 support programmes are protected. The Oekdy-Sek union members have voiced frustration with Education Minister Athena Michaelidou, accusing her of procrastination. They allege that the minister is delaying decisions until the school year’s end to minimize backlash.
In response to the strike, which she termed “hasty and untimely,” Minister Michaelidou insisted she is working hard to permanently resolve the labour issue, including its pedagogical aspects. She highlighted that a draft bill intended to regulate the employment status of these specific teachers had been shared with unions, with their feedback anticipated. Moreover, Michaelidou reassured that proposals for pedagogical restructuring would soon be communicated to them.
The tension between job security and contractual employment within the educational sector has reached a critical juncture. With both sides standing firm on their positions, the resolution of this issue will be closely watched by stakeholders across the sector.
