Court, government: Hungarian teachers’ strike was unlawful – UPDATED

Teachers' strike
Photo: FB

A recently held warning strike staged by teachers’ unions was unlawful, the Municipal Appeals Court of Budapest ruled on Thursday. The appeals court, acting on a complaint by the human resources ministry, reversed a primary decision which had said that the two-hour strike, held on January 31, had been legitimate.

The government and teachers’ representatives could not come to an agreement concerning basic school services during the strike and went to court concerning the matter. The strike, however, was held at the originally planned time before the court could decide.

According to the appeals court,

the strike was held in lack of a relevant ruling, therefore it was unlawful.

Under the law, employees of providers of basic services must not go on strike unless the parties agree on the minimum of services to be provided during the strike. In lack of such an agreement, a binding court decision will stipulate the level of services to be ensured.

Teachers’ trade unions PSZ and PDSZ announced they would appeal to the supreme court for legal remedy.

UPDATE – 02.11. 14.29

“The government is always ready to negotiate but everybody must abide by the law,” the human resources ministry said in a statement on Friday, after an appeals court deemed a recent warning strike staged by teachers’ unions unlawful. “Children and parents are of paramount importance for the government,” the ministry said in its statement, adding that “education must serve the interests of children”
 
The statement said the government was currently taking measures to increase the wages of health care and welfare services staff, while “the dispute (with teachers) is about the timing of further pay hikes” for them.

Source: MTI

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