Estonia: Nearly 9,500 teachers at 330 schools begin nationwide strike

Teachers in Estonia began a nationwide strike on 22 January 2024 to press for higher pay, ERR reports. The Estonian Education Personnel Union (EHL) said that altogether 9,471 teachers at 330 general education schools were taking part in the strike. The number of strikers will almost double to 18,176 when kindergarten and vocational school teachers join a solidarity strike on 24 January 2024, EHL said. Altogether 819 strikes are planned. Teachers held a large rally outside the Estonian parliament, the Riigikogu, and are due to protest on Tartu’s Town Hall Square later. EHL’s chairman, Reemo Voltri, warned that the strike could last for several weeks. He noted that the shortage of teachers imperiled the quality of education. Meanwhile, coalition parties continue to disagree on how to raise teacher salaries.