Education support programme staff to march on palace

Education ministry support programme workers will be marching to the presidential palace on Thursday, demanding the immediate fulfillment of commitments and protection of their rights and income. The workers will gather at the finance ministry at 3pm and begin their march from there. Trade unions SEK and PEO said the education ministry failed to implement legislation introduced by the government itself and passed by parliament in April. According to the unions, although the law establishes specific recruitment procedures for the programmes, the ministry has failed to apply them across all programmes, leaving several employees unemployed. They also alleged that positions intended for fixed-term employees are instead being filled by appointed staff working overtime. The unions added that the delays have left workers without income, without access to unemployment benefits and without pay for five months. They also called on all employees to participate in Thursday’s demonstration.