[Estonia] Teachers call for 20% minimum wage increase

The Estonian Education Workers' Union is demanding a 20 per cent increase in the minimum wage for teachers. The hike would bump the base rate to €2,184 a month by 2026, ERR reports.

On May 27, Estonian Minister of Education Kristina Kallas (Eesti 200) met with representatives of the Estonian Education Workers' Union, who are seeking a pay rise for their members.

Such an increase would reportedly cost the state budget around €50 million.

Reemo Voltri - chair of the Estonian Education Workers' Union - said, "We started, or rather continued, the negotiations over the 2026 minimum wage for teachers. In the hope that the employers would come to the table with a mandate – on this occasion, they did not, but the hope remains." 

Minister of Education Kristina Kallas said, "Indeed, we continued the consultation with the hope that this time we could also negotiate with all the principals at the table, but that did not happen today." 

Piret Sapp - head of education in Järva Municipality - said, "The only one who can decide on salary increases is the one who holds the purse strings. Today, there not a cent has been put in the fund for salary increases from the state's side and, as the coalition agreement signed on Saturday also states, the salary increase for teachers will thus be negotiated during the budget discussions. The minister confirmed today that those numbers will not be available before September." 

The meeting reportedly concluded without any new agreements being reached.

Source: ERR

(Quotes via original reporting)

The Estonian Education Workers' Union is demanding a 20 per cent increase in the minimum wage for teachers. The hike would bump the base rate to €2,184 a month by 2026, ERR reports.

On May 27, Estonian Minister of Education Kristina Kallas (Eesti 200) met with representatives of the Estonian Education Workers' Union, who are seeking a pay rise for their members.

Such an increase would reportedly cost the state budget around €50 million.

Reemo Voltri - chair of the Estonian Education Workers' Union - said, "We started, or rather continued, the negotiations over the 2026 minimum wage for teachers. In the hope that the employers would come to the table with a mandate – on this occasion, they did not, but the hope remains." 

Minister of Education Kristina Kallas said, "Indeed, we continued the consultation with the hope that this time we could also negotiate with all the principals at the table, but that did not happen today." 

Piret Sapp - head of education in Järva Municipality - said, "The only one who can decide on salary increases is the one who holds the purse strings. Today, there not a cent has been put in the fund for salary increases from the state's side and, as the coalition agreement signed on Saturday also states, the salary increase for teachers will thus be negotiated during the budget discussions. The minister confirmed today that those numbers will not be available before September." 

The meeting reportedly concluded without any new agreements being reached.

Source: ERR

(Quotes via original reporting)