Lithuania: 3,000 teachers go on strike, to march on Vilnius

The Lithuanian Education Employees Trade Union (LSDPS) started a teacher strike on 29 September 2023, LRT reports. The union expects around 3,000 teachers to join the strike. LSDPS chairman Andrius Navickas said that the strike could last about a month. Teachers will march on Vilnius and will hold a picket in front of the government building. LSDPS demands that teacher wages be raised by 20% as of September 2023 and by another 30% as of January 2024. Also, the union demands smaller class sizes and teacher workload. Earlier, the Ministry of Education announced an agreement with four trade unions to raise teacher salaries by 10% as of January 2024 and by 21% in total in 2024. LSDPS rejected the ministry’s proposal, however.