VILNIUS — After meeting with teachers’ union officials Tuesday, the Lithuanian government agreed to reduce proposed cuts from 10 percent to 5 percent for education staff.

Originally the government planned a 10 percent wage reduction for all public employees as part of various austerity measures to tamp down on the country’s deficit, exacerbated by the economic crisis. However, after an Oct. 1 protest organized by the Lithuanian Education Professionals Employee Union and other public employee unions and negotiations between the Council of Ministers and union representatives, the government backed off the higher decrease for certain public employees.

“Teachers, schools are cutting funds to pay only 5 percent, and individual salaries and base rates will not be touched,” Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius said at a Wednesday press conference.

Meanwhile the government is now proposing police and cultural ministry employees will face only 5 percent wage cut, while other public sector employees the full 10 percent decrease.

Union isn’t satisfied

Eugenijus Jesinas, vice president of the Lithuanian Education Professionals Employee Union, told Baltic Reports the government’s new position was step in the right direction.

“My opinion is positive about it because it’s influence teacher’s salaries and the cut will be only 5 percent,” Jesinas said. “The base salary will not be reduced.”

However, the union did not characterize this reduction as an agreement with the government.

“This is not an agreement,” union spokesman Valdas Vižinis told Baltic Reports. “We will attend the Oct. 21 meeting.”

On Oct. 21 representatives of various public sector employee unions will meet to discuss how to fight the proposed cuts.