On February 9, 2018 the ESFTUG's President, Maia Kobakhidze, ESFTUG Executive Vice-President Mari Alugishvili and ESFTUG Vice-President, Natia Kordzadze visited Khobi Municipality and met about 120 amployees from about 20 public schools of Khobi Municipality. The meeting was organized by the head of ESFTUG’s Khobi branch organization, Lali Chitaia.

The meeting was held in Khobi municipality cultural-educational community center. Among the attendees were ESFTUG’s members, as well as principles of educational institutions and socially active people from educational institutions. The meeting also was attended by the head of the educational resource center’s Ms. Beatrisa Rusia.

The aim of the meeting was the development and strengthening of Khobi branch organization, attracting new members, as well as to unite the employees of educational institutions around the common interests and common aims.

Maia Kobakhidze, talked about the trade union’s role and functions, about the difficulties, which the organization passed since 2010, about the achievements in the field of employees’ labor, social-economic, legal and professional rights’ protection. She also talked about the most important success of the ESFTUG – the sectoral agreement, which was signed in 2017. Maia Kobakhidze explained what the organization is doing for its members’ professional development and for improving teachers' status. She talked about the project – “Teachers' Professional Development for improvement the teaching-learning quality”, which was conducted by the "The Center for Professional Development of Employees in Educational Institution”. Maia Kobakhidze also talked about the organization’s future plans and challenges.

She paid special attention to teachers' professional development scheme, the related problems, as well as the positive and negative sides of the

teachers’ salary increasement.

The participants of the meeting particularly welcomed the ESFTUG’s strategic proposal, which is associated with increase of teachers' base salary.

,,The main priority of the ESFTUG’s activities in 2018, remains the lobbying of the issue of public school teachers ' salaries. ESFTUG’s proposal is - it should be developed 3-4 year program of the public school teachers' base salary’s gradual increase, that the teachers’ average salary will be equal to the average salary of public sector employees.“ - said Maia Kobakhidze.

The meeting was held in question-answer mode. Maia Kobakhidze answered all questions interesting and topical for the meeting participants.

The participants of the meeting thanked the ESFTUG President, Maia Kobakhidze and head of the Khobi branch organization, Lali Chitaia for such an exciting and business meeting, which gave them an opportunity to listen Maia Kobakhidze personally and also to share their needs and problems to each other.