As of Tuesday education unions will strike in primary and secondary schools across Croatia until their demands are met or an agreement is reached with the government.

The decision was made unanimously on Monday by the Croatian Teachers’ Union and the Independent Union of Secondary School Employees.

According to unofficial information, the unions decided go on a general strike after their members had become disgruntled with the government’s ignoring of the rotating strike.

The general strike is in line with unions’ announcements that they will step up their rhetoric after the last government decision, which they considered disgraceful, and the government’s announcement that the days spent in strike after November 15 will not be paid.

Leader of the Independent Union of Secondary School Employees Branimir Mihalinec told RTL television on Monday evening that as of Tuesday the strike would be held every day until their demands were met.

On Tuesday, union leaders will present the result of a referendum among the membership and the strikers on the government’s offer concerning their demand for a job complexity index raise. Last week, they said more than 95 percent of teachers had turned down the offer.

The government is offering a 6.12 percent base pay increase in 2020, an analysis of salaries in the public sector, including of job complexity indices, and an agreement on a 2 percent pay increase if the regulation on wage indices is not amended by June 30, 2020.

The education unions demand a 6.11 percent raise of the job complexity index, saying it would ensure they do not lag behind other public services.

Mihalinec: Fight for dignity has no price

On Monday night, Mihalinec sent a letter to the union members in which he said it was extremely important to show the government that they would not give in.

“If we remain united and resolute, the government will be forced to sit down with us again and offer an acceptable solution,” he said.

He announced that the unions planned actions during the European People’s Party congress in Zagreb, set to start this week, and that they would also stage a protest in Zagreb soon.