Hungarian Government Proposes Regulation Changes Affecting Teachers' Unions
New government regulation aims to restrict negotiations to the union with the largest membership, raising concerns among education representatives.
The Hungarian Ministry of Interior has initiated a public consultation on a proposed regulation modification that significantly restricts the ability of educational unions to negotiate with the government on labor and social issues.
According to the proposed changes, only the union with the highest membership will be eligible to participate in negotiations if no educational union reaches a membership threshold of ten percent of the total number of educational employees by December 31, 2031.
The Ministry stated that the modification is necessary due to a decline in union membership, purportedly falling below the ten percent threshold required for representation.
Compliance with a recent agreement with the European Commission requires the government to consult primarily with the largest union.
As a result, the Pedagogical Workers' Union (PSZ) and the Democratic Pedagogical Union (PDSZ) may be affected differently, with concerns raised that the PDSZ could be excluded from critical discussions regarding salary raises financed by EU support and evaluations of teacher performance.
PDSZ executive Nagy Erzsébet articulated that this modification seems aimed explicitly at undermining their union, suggesting that the government intends to use the regulation to target unions critical of certain educational reforms.
Nagy further noted that the timeframe outlined in the proposal underscores the government's intention to exclude the PDSZ from dialogues about agreements related to EU programs, particularly the recently critiqued 'status law' governing teacher careers.
In contrast, she argued that the agreement with the European Commission stipulates consultation with the largest unions collectively, not exclusively with the single largest.
Meanwhile, Totyik Tamás, the president of the PSZ, emphasized that the aim remains to represent the interests of as many workers as possible.
He also indicated that there is no statutory obligation for comprehensive tracking of membership numbers, questioning the rationale behind the proposed ten percent representation requirement.
The PSZ serves a diverse body of educators across public, private, and religious institutions, which contributes to their wide-ranging advocacy on behalf of the teaching profession as a whole.
In addition to these developments, concerns have been raised regarding the Educational Authority's system and its operational integrity, as discussions on the need for an independent Ministry of Education were echoed by experts from the United Nations.
The calls for reform highlight ongoing challenges within the educational framework in Hungary.
According to the proposed changes, only the union with the highest membership will be eligible to participate in negotiations if no educational union reaches a membership threshold of ten percent of the total number of educational employees by December 31, 2031.
The Ministry stated that the modification is necessary due to a decline in union membership, purportedly falling below the ten percent threshold required for representation.
Compliance with a recent agreement with the European Commission requires the government to consult primarily with the largest union.
As a result, the Pedagogical Workers' Union (PSZ) and the Democratic Pedagogical Union (PDSZ) may be affected differently, with concerns raised that the PDSZ could be excluded from critical discussions regarding salary raises financed by EU support and evaluations of teacher performance.
PDSZ executive Nagy Erzsébet articulated that this modification seems aimed explicitly at undermining their union, suggesting that the government intends to use the regulation to target unions critical of certain educational reforms.
Nagy further noted that the timeframe outlined in the proposal underscores the government's intention to exclude the PDSZ from dialogues about agreements related to EU programs, particularly the recently critiqued 'status law' governing teacher careers.
In contrast, she argued that the agreement with the European Commission stipulates consultation with the largest unions collectively, not exclusively with the single largest.
Meanwhile, Totyik Tamás, the president of the PSZ, emphasized that the aim remains to represent the interests of as many workers as possible.
He also indicated that there is no statutory obligation for comprehensive tracking of membership numbers, questioning the rationale behind the proposed ten percent representation requirement.
The PSZ serves a diverse body of educators across public, private, and religious institutions, which contributes to their wide-ranging advocacy on behalf of the teaching profession as a whole.
In addition to these developments, concerns have been raised regarding the Educational Authority's system and its operational integrity, as discussions on the need for an independent Ministry of Education were echoed by experts from the United Nations.
The calls for reform highlight ongoing challenges within the educational framework in Hungary.
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