Meeting of the head of the primary trade Union organization of educational facilities in Kiev took place in the Center of Culture and Arts NTUU “KPI after Igor Sikorsky”. Numerous speeches testified about the protest mood of Union members. In the presentation were raised the question about deteriorating of standard of life of ordinary Ukrainian citizens, especially increasing of utility tariffs and the impoverishment of popularization.
After discussion, on behalf of 170 thousand members of the Union of education adopted a resolution in which, in particular, noted: “...we protest against socio–economic shocks and draconian increase in tariffs for housing and utilities services”.
According to UN, За оцінками ООН, 80% of Ukrainian people lives on the breadline. ( according to UN standards, If account less the 5 $ in a day for accommodations and meals, She\He lives on the breadline.) Position of the Law of Ukraine “About Public accounts of Ukraine in 2017” also give rise to concern, in this law the charges to Ministry of Education and Science in comparison with 2016 was reduced by 24,8%; for 80% was reduced the charges on scholarships. According to MFU, the MES needs is satisfied on 53,1%, NASU and branch of academic science – to 49,7%.
Among the possible risks of this budget – saving the disparity between minimum pay and official schedule according to STS wage grade (265 grn); low social standards; lack of indexing of incomes of people; limitation of payment for working retirements; increase the tax burdens; increase of pensionable age; cancel of scholarships for students of academy etc.
Demanded: From President of Ukraine as guarantor of constitution to prevent the fall of living standard, the decline in socio – economic rights of workers, pensioners, students;
from the Verkhovna Rada not to adopt the anti–social law on the State budget for 2017; to restore the guarantees of the state regarding the size of the average salary of scientific and pedagogical workers not lower than double the average s/p of industrial workers, and teachers – at the level not below the average salary of industrial workers (article 57 of the law of Ukraine "On education"); to cancel the gradual increase in the length of service for retirement for length of service; implement an effective mechanism for indexation of money incomes of the population; to remove restrictions on the payment of pensions to working pensioners;
from KM of Ukraine – to immediately impose a moratorium on increase of prices and tariffs for housing and utilities services to a significant increase in the size of salary, pensions, scholarships; to publish the economic justification for raising gas prices and tariffs for housing and utilities services; to significantly increase the wage of all workers in the Education sector; to comply with the requirements of article 62 of the law of Ukraine "On higher education" regarding the amount of academic scholarships and the number of people who get it.
In the resolution also notes that in the case of ignoring the demands of the teachers will be forced to go into action. The document ends with a call to all who care about social peace, harmony and a decent life, to unite the efforts for joint struggle for social justice, economic rights and guarantees.
Commenting on the adopted document, the Chairman of the Union employees V.I. Molchanov noted that the polytechnics have always been tolerance, vision and political activism. ”We should not succumb to panic: “nothing will succeed”, – he said. – If you think so, then do nothing. Only in unity is our strength”.