Teachers vow to start school year with protests over promised pay raises

Today the school year kicks off with nearly 7 million children attending but teachers are not happy about returning to the classroom. The Polish Teachers' Union (ZNP) is demanding the government pay their salaries guaranteed in the Teachers Charter. In accordance with the document they were supposed to receive a pay raise of zl. 400. Education Minister Edmund Wittbrodt asks that teachers be patient and said the money will be paid by Oct. 6. "We do not trust the Minister and don't believe in his possibilities," said teachers. According to the president of ZNP Slawomir Broniarz between Sept. 18 to Sept. 26, teachers will organize a protest. "Later we will see what the government will do," he said. (Zycie, page 1,2)