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Report from the meeting of Leading Council of FSASH

The meeting of the Leading Council of FSASH, held on Friday, the 7th of September, with participation of Council’s members, leaders of trade union sections from almost all the districts of Albania, discussed widely the actual situation and the duties of trade union sections and all other structures of the Federation in the framework of new academic year, 2007-2008, starting from the 17 September.

The new situation raised after the expulsion of both national trade union confederations, KSSH and BSPSH, which have affected directly education trade unions, FSASH and SPASH, as well as other problems related to the Instruction from the Ministry of Education and Science, MASH, regarding the transfer and the nomination of education personnel in the preuniversity education, determined the main issues discussed in this meeting

In his introduction held in the meeting, Mr. Xhafer Dobrushi, Chairman of the Federation, considered the situation as very difficult, without an office and the minimum working conditions, as electricity power, furniture and equipment and other working needs, but, at the same time, he pointed out that there are all the possibilities and we are doing our utmost that this situation be overcome as soon as possible, including our demands towards the Government and the Ministry of education and Science to meet their constitutional obligations and create the conditions for the normal activity of trade unions.

To this aim served also the meeting of both leaders of the education trade unions, Mr. Dobrushi and Mr. Kruja, with the Minister of Education and Science, Mr. Genc Pollo, held on the 6th of september, where it was discussed in relation to the main demands of both education trade unions under the actual situation.

After mentioning some of the activities and achievements of the FSASH, Mr. Dobrushi was focused on the main problems that teachers are facing and some of the main directions of the working plan of the near future.

  1. The exact implementation of the Instruction of the Ministry of Education and Science No, 29, date 18 August 2007, on the transfer and nomination of education personnel of preuniversity system, requires recognition of the situation and concrete reaction. The case of Pogradeci section, supported by the Presidency of FSASH, which lead to the second clarification Instruction issued by MASH about the implementation of the above mentioned Instruction, indicates that we have all the possibilities to protect our members, against every kind of abusive attitude towards them.

This problem drew the attention of many local leaders, who reported concrete cases of teachers’ dismissal, like 150 reported by Lavdosh Llanaj in Fieri district, 54 reported by Isa Reka in Shkodra district and many others reported by Hysen Gaci in Saranda, Shkeqim Polloveshi in Kucove, Petref Çelaj in Vlore and so on. All of them asked for a correct implementation of these Instructions from the Local Educational Directorates, demanding that trade union sections in the districts must insist that every case should be examined separately, taking into account the level of education, but also the working experience and the results achieved by every teacher. They consider unfair the different treatment of teachers being graduated in the same school, but having got different documents (Diploma or Certification), only because of being graduated one year later.

  1. A lot of discussions were made regarding the wage increase for 2007. Most of them didn’t agree with governmental propaganda that allegedly the wages are increased by 20-22 percent, while they are increased only 11-12 percent, because of the implementation of the new system of income tax which affected directly all the teachers.

Some of the Council’s members went further, said that this year the salary increase is equal to zero, because of the prices’ increase, asking for trade union actions to oppose the governmental economic policies.

  1. Another important problem discussed in this meeting was the reaction against some of the economic and financial employees of the municipalities and communes who have not paid the remuneration to the teachers who are going to be retired, confounding the Item 8/13 of the Collective Agreement with the Decision of the Council of Ministers about the Special Budget at the disposal of the institutions and public enterprises.

Mr. Dobrushi explained clearly that this problem was discussed with the Minister and it was an agreement that problems dealing those two disposals are totally different, while the Decision of the Council of Ministers deals with those who are continuing the working relations, the item of the collective agreement for the remuneration up to two salaries has to do with those who are going to interrupt the working relations and retire.
That’s why all the local trade union leaders must identify every case, insisting in exact implementation of the Item 8/13 of the Collective Agreement.
At the same time the Leading Council of the FSASH drew the attention of local and central trade union leaders of both education trade unions, to be correct, giving the right of this remuneration only to then who devote it, based on the working performance and trade union activities.

  1. After open discussions, the Leading Council of the FSASH agreed to be addressed once more to the Ministry of education and science, asking to work together with both education trade unions and prepare the proposal for the Government, in order to approve a special decision, according to the Items 8/7.a and 8/7.b in order to increase the remuneration payment of 2 % per year also further to 25 years and to pay the qualification remuneration up to 25 % for those who have more than 25 years working experience.

They also asked for a more organised work with the Educational Directorates in order to make known the Collective Agreement, aiming its correct implementation.

  1. Special discussions, object of this meeting, were the issues related to the consolidation of all the structures of the Federation from the center to the grass root level, including the re organisation of some trade union sections, especially those in small districts like, Delvina, Peqini, Hasi, Lushnja, Puka, Malesia e Madhe, Gramshi and so on.

Mr. Dobrushi considered the financial situation of the Federation not satisfied and asked for more responsibility from the local leaders who have to work hard and concretely to improve the situation within the 15th of October, mentioning also some very good examples we already have in Tirana, Vlora, Skrapari, Fieri and so on, where the working method is successful and there are very good results.

  1. Speaking about all of these problems, the General Secretary of the Federation, Stavri Liko, after identifying most of the activities organised and being organised in the framework of the projects with Education International, EI, Dutch trade unions FNV and AOb, ILO-IPEC and other partners and the improvements in functioning the structures of the Federation from the top to the grass root level,  working with women and young teachers, as well as in children protection and elimination of child labour, pointed out the indispensability of a total engagement needed to organise the planned activities.

He also pointed out that nothing lost regarding the documents, related to the financial activity of the Federation and to other activities of the projects and all activities will be organised according to the working program, except for some activities planned for 4-19 September, which will be rescheduled. He asked for a concrete engagement of the local leaders from the main Prefectures, in collaboration with Education Directorates, in order to provide one office, being used jointly by both trade unions sections, which will be provided with furniture and equipment, in the framework of the project with FNV. Using better the website and other publications by each teacher is another requirement, which should be considered seriously by local trade union leaders in the districts.
After open and constructive discussions, the Leading Council of FSASH took all the decisions regarding the work in the near and midterm future, asking for a better engagement of each member in order to fulfill them successfully.