Negotiations have begun between Czech universities and faculty representatives and trade unionists to correct the salary differences in humanities fields. The negotiations come after academics protested against low tariff wages, which have caused faculty members to take to the streets. Negotiations have started at Charles University in Prague and Palacký University in Olomouc, with negotiations in Prague acquiring specific parameters. A senior lecturer at Charles University can earn CZK 34,600 per month, but the upper limit is 80,000. Negotiations aim to bring the boundaries of the tables closer together while maintaining the upper limit, which will tighten the gap between faculty salaries.

In Olomouc, the dean of the Faculty of Philosophy and head of the Association of Deans of Philosophical Faculties, Jan Stejskal, said discussions were also underway about technical and administrative workers’ tariff wages. The goal of the discussions is to rebuild the thinking about allocating resources to science and teaching. Stejskal said they were proposing a complete rebuild because these systems have been in place for 30 years. The deans have been asked to present their ideas on appropriate salaries, with most likely saying the ideas are not in their economic reality.

The government has responded by asking school representatives to propose a systemic solution to the situation for the future. Discussions are underway about merging small fields and changes in the allocation of funds within universities. However, academics who have joined the protest initiative, “Hour of Truth,” describe the government’s response as unsatisfactory, demanding more overall.

The negotiations on tariffs in Prague have the potential for significant tariff increases, and the range of taxes at Charles University is enormous. The government could send an extraordinary grant totaling CZK 900 million to level the financial playing field, provided the schools raise low tariffs. The negotiations aim to bring the boundaries of the tables closer together, but with the upper limit maintained, which will tighten the scissors between faculty salaries, but no one in the better-paid group will lose anything.

In conclusion, the negotiations between Czech universities and faculty representatives are a step in the right direction towards correcting the salary differences in humanities fields. However, academics who have joined the protest initiative demand more overall, and discussions about merging small fields and changes in the allocation of funds within universities may be necessary to resolve the issue in the future.

Article by Prague Forum