The Syndicaat voor Onderwijsgevenden (SO) is not satisfied with the interim result reached by the government and the education unions regarding the revaluation of education workers.
According to the union, the current arrangement offers insufficient prospects for a structural improvement in teachers’ income position. The SO warns that a one-off payment with retroactive effect should not be confused with a lasting salary improvement.
In a statement, the SO board emphasises that although the education unions have given the government room to pay out what it currently considers financially possible, this does not mean the unions are satisfied with the result. According to the syndicate, the problems within education remain major and structural measures are necessary.
The government and representatives of various education unions reached an interim result on Tuesday, October 27, during consultations at the Kabinet van de President (Office of the President) on the revaluation of education workers. Talks on employment conditions will continue.
The SO believes that the government cannot rely solely on its limited financial means. According to the union, education is under great pressure and teachers’ remuneration must better reflect their education, qualifications and responsibilities.
“It has been enough with giving crumbs to education workers,” the syndicate states. According to the organisation, appreciation for teachers must not be limited to fine words, but must be reflected in fair remuneration that also takes account of rising living costs.
Education workers urged to check payslips
The SO explicitly calls on education workers to carefully check their payslips once the new amounts have been processed. According to the union, they should pay attention not only to the retroactive compensation (TWK), but above all to the net salary they will receive monthly from now on.
The union warns that the payment of outstanding amounts in November may give a distorted picture of the actual salary improvement. A TWK payment is, after all, a one-off payment and does not form part of regular monthly income.
“November may look financially attractive because of an additional payment, but the real question is: what remains each month after that?” the SO said.
Teachers are therefore advised to compare their old and new net salaries and check the various deductions. In this way, according to the union, they can determine whether the revaluation actually results in a structural improvement in their income and purchasing power.
Negotiations must continue
The syndicate stresses that the education unions will remain at the negotiating table until a result is achieved with which they can genuinely be satisfied. According to the SO, fair remuneration is necessary to keep education attractive and safeguard the future of the sector.
The union states that temporary financial compensation is insufficient to resolve the structural problems within education. According to the organisation, sustainable measures and ongoing dialogue between the government and representatives of education workers are needed for this.
The SO concludes its statement with a call on teachers to remain critical and not focus solely on the additional payment in November.
“Remain critical. Check your payslip. Ask questions. Look beyond November,” is the message from the board of the Syndicaat voor Onderwijsgevenden.
