University Lecturers Demand a 50% Immediate Pay Rise Amid Financial Hardships
In a recent push for fair compensation, university lecturers from state-operated institutions are demanding an immediate 50% salary increase.
This comes after a growing number of educators face financial difficulties, compelling some to return to living with their parents or take on multiple jobs.
During a Wednesday gathering in front of the Ministry of Culture and Innovation, lecturers, represented by Balázs Hankó, the State Secretary for Higher Education, Vocational Training, and Innovation, discussed their salary grievances. Although the meeting primarily highlighted discrepancies in salary figures, Hankó promised to investigate the mismatch between reported and actual wages.
The necessity for wage development at universities was acknowledged, with an understanding reached to align salaries with the average graduate wage. Further discussions are slated to continue in two weeks.
One educator from Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE) shared with our reporters their struggle to cope with a salary of 253,000 forints, despite enjoying teaching and viewing it as their calling. The plight is not limited to junior ranks; even higher-ranking lecturers, boasting multiple degrees and extensive publications, find their compensation inadequate compared to potential earnings outside academia.
Representatives from four state-operated universities, including ELTE, BME, the Franz Liszt Academy of Music, and the Hungarian University of Fine Arts, initially presented their salary demands in an open letter on March 20, attracting over three thousand signatures due to the lack of a substantial response.
The educators’ demands include the integration of a 15% employer-based salary supplement, awarded in 2021 and 2022, into their base salaries. The unpredictable nature of these supplements makes it difficult for educators to secure loans, highlighting the financial instability faced by the sector.
According to the current pay scale, teacher assistants earn a guaranteed gross salary of 221,000 forints, with lecturers and senior lecturers earning significantly more, yet still below industry standards. The pay dilemma has been exacerbated since the increase in salaries for public education teachers, putting university lecturers at a financial disadvantage.
Many educators are forced into second or third jobs to make ends meet, a situation considered by Anikó Gregor, the union secretary at ELTE, as unsustainable due to the lack of sufficient government funding in higher education for decades.
The cost to meet the lecturers' 50% immediate salary increase demand is estimated at 20-25 billion forints. Considering the budget constraints and operating cost increases across universities, this situation underscores the financial crisis facing the state's higher education sector.
During a Wednesday gathering in front of the Ministry of Culture and Innovation, lecturers, represented by Balázs Hankó, the State Secretary for Higher Education, Vocational Training, and Innovation, discussed their salary grievances. Although the meeting primarily highlighted discrepancies in salary figures, Hankó promised to investigate the mismatch between reported and actual wages.
The necessity for wage development at universities was acknowledged, with an understanding reached to align salaries with the average graduate wage. Further discussions are slated to continue in two weeks.
One educator from Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE) shared with our reporters their struggle to cope with a salary of 253,000 forints, despite enjoying teaching and viewing it as their calling. The plight is not limited to junior ranks; even higher-ranking lecturers, boasting multiple degrees and extensive publications, find their compensation inadequate compared to potential earnings outside academia.
Representatives from four state-operated universities, including ELTE, BME, the Franz Liszt Academy of Music, and the Hungarian University of Fine Arts, initially presented their salary demands in an open letter on March 20, attracting over three thousand signatures due to the lack of a substantial response.
The educators’ demands include the integration of a 15% employer-based salary supplement, awarded in 2021 and 2022, into their base salaries. The unpredictable nature of these supplements makes it difficult for educators to secure loans, highlighting the financial instability faced by the sector.
According to the current pay scale, teacher assistants earn a guaranteed gross salary of 221,000 forints, with lecturers and senior lecturers earning significantly more, yet still below industry standards. The pay dilemma has been exacerbated since the increase in salaries for public education teachers, putting university lecturers at a financial disadvantage.
Many educators are forced into second or third jobs to make ends meet, a situation considered by Anikó Gregor, the union secretary at ELTE, as unsustainable due to the lack of sufficient government funding in higher education for decades.
The cost to meet the lecturers' 50% immediate salary increase demand is estimated at 20-25 billion forints. Considering the budget constraints and operating cost increases across universities, this situation underscores the financial crisis facing the state's higher education sector.
Translation:
Translated by AI
