In an interview with the newspaper “Kronika”, Maia Kobakhidze said that many teachers had already made request to join the union; however school directors still reject to sign collective agreement and transfer membership fee to ESFTUG. Due to this fact, the processes are delayed and it hinders further development of the trade union.
It should be noted that US Department of State describes the facts of violating union’s rights by the government in its Human Rights Report of 2010-2012. According to the report, the former government established a yellow trade union, “Professional Syndicate”. The report also mentions the name of Taras Shavshishvili who, together with his colleagues has founded a new union “Trade Union of General Education”. Among the founders, we meet the name of Eka Cherkezishvili who works at the Ministry’s particular structural entity and is responsible for holding trainings for teachers and directors. Teimuraz Dzotsenidze, also being a founder, is a trainer at National Center for Professional Development. Of course, they can influence on school directors and can prompt them to reject signing collective agreements with ESFTUG.
Maia Kobakhidze also talked about her meeting with Giorgi Margvelashvili, where they discussed various problems in education system. Cooperation had positive outcomes: bailiffs can no longer control teachers and directors and teachers who work more than 18 hours a week will get 5 GEL for each extra hour of lesson. ESFTUG also demanded 48-day paid holidays for teachers and discussed 75-GEL bonus scheme for certified educators.
Ms Kobakhidze also added that certification exams shall not be sole criterium for teacher’s appraisal and government shall provide educators with free methodical and subject guides. ESFTUG president hopes that the union will manage to protect members’ rights and interests as long as it now is an official member of state commissions and shall also be a member of a jury during the while selecting candidates for the Ministry.
Maia Kobakhidze concluded that ESFTUG is no longer in financial crisis. According to recent data, the union already has 25 000 members.