Unions accuse teachers of blocking payments, budget calendar invoked by ministry

Tensions in the education system, after the main union federations accuse the authorities of delaying the payment of salary rights established by final court decisions, while the Ministry of Education claims that payments are ongoing according to an established calendar. The Federation of Free Education Unions and the Federation of Education Unions Spiru Haret reported that there are delays in the payment of amounts related to April 2026, especially in cases where they exceed 10,000 lei. According to the unionists, the postponements would be "abusive" and without legal basis, given that local checks and audits confirmed the correctness of the calculations. "According to information received from the territory, the payment of the amounts scheduled for April 2026 is being abusively postponed in cases where their value exceeds 10,000 lei. This blockage persists, although the checks and audits carried out at the local level have already confirmed the correctness of the calculations. The suspension of payments is being made without any legal basis, in direct contradiction with the decisions of the courts. We draw attention to the fact that we are facing an extremely serious situation: the Ministry of Education and Research implicitly refuses to execute mandatory sentences. It is unacceptable that the very institution that should guarantee the rights of education employees becomes the one that deliberately violates them," the union statement reads.

• A risk to the rule of law is invoked

Representatives of education employees claim that the failure to execute court decisions creates a dangerous precedent, affecting trust in public institutions and the functioning of democratic mechanisms. They demand the full and urgent payment of the outstanding amounts and warn that they will use all legal and union means to obtain respect for the rights won in court.

• Ministry of Education: payments are ongoing

In response, the Minister of Education and Research, Mihai Dimian, stated that the institution had already made significant payments in March. According to him, the installments for the 2025 payment year were paid, as well as the interest resulting from the court decisions, totaling approximately 244 million lei.

The official specified that, starting with April 2026, the amounts for the current year will be paid, with a completion deadline of December 31, 2026. Also, the payment of the fifth installment is scheduled for June, representing 35% of the salary differences established by GEO no. 48/2022, worth approximately 326 million lei.

• Dispute amid budgetary pressures

The conflict between unions and authorities arises against the backdrop of budgetary pressures and legal obligations resulting from lawsuits won by teachers in recent years. While unions claim delays and blockages, the Ministry of Education claims that payments are being made in stages and follow a calendar established at the government level. The situation reflects a broader problem in the Romanian education system, where the payment of salary rights established in court has repeatedly been staggered over several years.

The current dispute could amplify tensions between authorities and education employees, in a context already marked by dissatisfaction with salaries and working conditions.