This week, the Latvian Green Party (LZP) recommends that educators go on strike to achieve the resignation of the Minister of Education and Science Ilga Šuplinska (New Conservative Party (JKP)). Why should Šuplinskis resign?
The Latvian Trade Union of Education and Research Workers (LIZDA) has demanded the resignation of the Minister, and LZP fully supports this step.
Inadequate decisions of the Minister and not discussed with the industry regarding the management of the education system at all its levels Covid-19 in the conditions of an emergency situation degrades the Latvian education and science system as a whole.
The request of the Šuplinska trade union will probably be ignored, so a strike could be one of the measures to achieve her resignation. Article 108 of the Satversme of the Republic of Latvia and the Strike Law determine the right of teachers to strike. The situation is extraordinary and requires an emergency response, so a general strike could force the government to act.
On Thursday, I contacted the head of LIZDA Inga Vanags, also joining our partners in the Saeima faction from the Latvian Farmers’ Union. LIZDA has not yet decided on a strike. But I think it will get there – that would be the logical next step.
In conversations with several representatives of local governments, including the leadership of the Latvian Association of Local Governments, I hear that local governments are also very dissatisfied with the activities of the Minister of Education. A large number of educators and parents, who currently have to play a role as teaching assistants during the distance learning process, can attest that no improvement has been made in the learning process between the two waves of Covid-19 coronavirus. The Minister is not doing his job, but the demands on teachers are growing. In addition, she threatens to humiliate teachers by depriving them of 20 percent of their pay if they fail to comply. And it happens at the time of covid disease, when educators are already under great stress, have been overworked, are on the verge of burnout. They also have to fear that their income may fall by a fifth.
There are exceptional circumstances, it seems that it will be necessary to switch to distance learning, but there is no clear plan for how this will happen – what is the technical support for this transition, do all students have the technical support? Everyone fights as they know. Šuplinska pulls the education system into the swamp.
Presumably, the government is not going to do anything and will not try to get rid of Shuplinsk, the demand for resignation alone will be just a shot in the air, so a strike could be a good move to force the government to address this issue.
It is noticeable that JKP has launched a campaign in the media against LAGDA manager Vanags …
This is done in the spirit of a check, without mentioning any arguments on the merits, but against the union leader personally, starting to insult and insult him.
But I don’t think Vanaga will break because educators have been insulted and slandered in the past, and what is happening now is nothing new.
It is not just a problem of teachers. There is also dissatisfaction in higher education with regional universities and concerns that science is being wiped out in the regions. It is also the finger of Šuplinskas. Today I do not understand why she hates universities, science, the bright minds of Latvia so much?
The children who are now in schools planning to enter higher education will be the ones who will run the country in 20, 30 and 40 years.
Social workers have also requested the resignation of the Minister of Welfare Ramona Petraviča (KPV LV). What is similar and what is different in the case of Petravich and Šuplinsk?
It can be seen that the demand for resignation is more related to her character traits, communication deficiencies and less to her actions. In any case, her actions are relatively much less dangerous to society than what Šuplinska or the Minister of Health Ilze Ņķele (AP) is doing. Against the background of these ministers, Petraviča still looks pretty good.
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