ESFTUG Calls Teachers not to Sign Short-Term Agreements

ESFTUG calls Educators to avoid and reject termination of old labour agreements before its expiration. Maia Kobakhidze held press-conference regarding this issue.

According to Ms Kobakhidze, by verbal order of the Minister, Educational Resource Centers and Public school directors demand from teachers to sign 4-month, 6-month and 1-year agreements. ESFTUG president noted that labour agreements were signed in 2007-2008 years and this process totally ignored teachers’ interests that were followed by trade union’s protest. After ESFTUG’s actions, in the majority of schools, 3-6-year and permanenent labour agreements were signed. Even the president of Georgia supported the union to accomplish this objective.

Maia Kobakhidze said that the president emphasized the negative sides of short-term agreements and supported long-term and permanent contracts several times.

Order #313 brought changes to the order #959, adding article #9¹ where reccommended time frames for labour agreements were determined from 3 to 5 years.

As a result, Maia Kobakhidze calls educators to use their right, refuse termination of old labour agreements before its expiration, and boycott new short-term agreements.

Maia Kobakhidze noted that the trade union is going to provide ILO, WFTU, EI and accredited diplomatic Corps in Georgia with the information regarding the facts of violation of teachers’ rights in Georgia.