MORE SERVICES FOR TEACHERS MEMBERS OF EDUCATION TRADE UNIONS

(From the round table with participation of local trade union leaders)

As planned, our  trade unions, FSASH and SPASH, organised in Tirana, on 18 April, the Round Table on providing more services for members. 24 participants from 16 main districts, as well as both chairmen, Dobrushi and Kruja, took part actively in the Round Table. Also Vice President of AOb, Ton Rolvink, attended the Round table and gave a special contribution in discussing the problem, drawing conclusions and elaborating the action plan for the future.

On behalf of both trade unions, Mr. Dobrushi identified what we offer to our members actually and what we intend to do in the near future, especially through the main tool, collective agreement with the Ministry of Education. He mentioned some achievements, especially during the period of one year, after the first round table we organised in February last year, being focused on  wage increase, (average 15 percent), special motivation of teachers who are local leaders of FSASH/SPASH and those being engaged in child labour prevention and elimination activities, payment by the government for the expenses of yearly professional medical check up of teachers, reaction of FSASH against the Order from the Minister of Education to change the status of more than 3000 teachers from full time employees to temporary ones and so on.
All of these results have had a direct impact also to the consolidation of the trade unions, especially regarding the increase of membership, by 2120 new members and over 9 100 EUR for SPASH, as well as 915 members and 1 450 Euro for FSASH.
He also mentioned the actual engagement of FSASH and SPASH to solve the problem of payment up to two salaries for the most active members, at the moment of their retire, providing legal advice in Tirana, Durresi and Elbasani trade union sections, aiming to enlarge this service also in other districts.

Following, Mr. Ton Rolvink expressed his considerations for the work done and results achieved and made explanations about the experience of AOb in providing services for members, especially through the Agreement with the government, for financial support of trade union activities, job protection, pension system, salaries and working conditions, as well as about additional services for members through legal assistance, agreements with banks and social insurance companies and so on.

After discussions and a constructive debate from many participants, especially those from Fieri, Shkodra, Tirana, Elbasani, Pogradeci, Librazhdi, Korca, etc, a working groups session was organised, divided in 4 groups, discussing about one separate subject for each of them, reporting the conclusions and elaborating an Action Plan for the future. More than 12 important issues were identified as subject of discussions during the trade unions election campaign, which is under the way for both FSASH and SPASH, as well as for the negotiations with the Ministry of Education, which will be done during September-December 2009, for the new collective agreement, which is expected to start from January 2010.

Both Dobrushi and Kruja agreed to inform and engage both presidencies, to deal with these proposals, aiming to provide more services for members.