Serbian teachers’ protest in front of government headquarters

The teachers unions said they learned from media reports that next year’s budget does not allow their salaries to be raised to the level they agreed with the minister.

The unions said they would not give up on the promised 14.6 percent raise. Union spokespeople said they want to have equal treatment with all other civil service employees.

USPRS union leader Jasna Jankovic told reporters after the protest that her union members were on strike in more than 500 schools across the country, holding classes of 30 instead of 45 minutes.

She said teachers had gone on strike three times since the start of the school year and saw no reason to stop.