The Hungarian Chamber of Health Professionals (MESZK) also assures the Democratic Union of Teachers (PDSZ) and the Union of Teachers (PSZ) of their solidarity, and they support the goals and demands set forth in the announcement of the two-hour strike organized for Monday, Index reports based on the announcement of the organization .

According to the statement:

Many of our members with medical degrees are teaching in health and social vocational training, so we know and empathize with their situation to the maximum.

The warning strike was supported in a joint statement by some of the capital's mayors and Mayor Gergely Karácsony. In addition, interest protection organizations also lined up to support the movement. In addition to the Higher Education Workers' Union (FDSZ) and the Hungarian Trade Union Confederation (MASZSZ), the Public Service Trade Union Confederation (KSZSZ) also supports the previously formulated strike demands.

In their statement, they wrote that they agree that:

  • teachers should receive an additional 45 percent salary increase,
  • a real teaching career is needed,
  • the mandatory number of hours per week should be reduced to 24 hours,
  • the class teacher function should count 2 hours per week into the mandatory number of hours per week,
  • the weekly number of hours spent by pedagogical assistants in child care should be a maximum of 35 hours,
  • the government should operate the professional and interest representation forums in the field of education on merit!

The two major teachers' unions organized a warning strike for Monday, January 31. The court approved this in the first instance on Friday, but according to the government, Monday's work stoppage cannot be legal. The trade unions issued another statement on Saturday, in which they appealed to the schools again.

Cover image: Illustration - Zsuzsa Szabó, president of the Teachers' Union and Tamás Szűcs, president of the Democratic Union of Teachers at the national teachers' demonstration of the Teachers' Union (PSZ) in Budapest, Kossuth Square on November 30, 2019. MTI/Márton Mónus