Since 2008, Slovenia has experienced a freezing of teachers’ salaries and many public schools have been merged.
The average pension in Slovenia is only €570 per month, however prices in Slovenia are just as high as in Greece, or most of Europe.
After many weeks of tense negotiations with unions of public servants and sectors, especially teachers and nurses, the government plans to slash the budget are now being tested by the police unions.
The ESTUS trade union is opposed to an amendment to the 2012 national budget adopted by the Government which includes significant cuts in the budget for education and in public employees’ salaries and also effectively undermines their trade union rights.
With June's salaries, public sector employees (including teachers) received 8 per cent lower salaries on average, but in fact it was approximately 4.5 per cent. Higher education was hit hardest by austerity measures, which are disproportionately directed at education. The current government leaders intend to further cut spending for public education.
