TIRANA, Oct. 5, 2022 – Professors, lecturers and other public higher education workers have given the Albanian government 12 days to double their salaries or they will strike, delaying the start of the new university school year.
Representatives say wages have not increased since 2005 and are now less than half the regional average. They want their salaries to at least be comparable to Kosovo’s wages.
For example, associate professors in Kosovo make about 1400 euros per month, while their counterparts in Albania make about 821 euros a month after taxes, with many academic workers making much less.
With an Oct. 17 strike deadline, the government offered Wednesday an increase of 15 percent to the professors, of which 7 percent would come from the state budget and the rest from the universities’ own funds.
Union representatives said they will discuss the proposal, but they are unlikely to accept it due to the figure being too low and the fact that the union represents more than just professors, but all workers in higher education public institutions.
Prime Minister Edi Rama said the union was “crying to the moon” and that public universities have the needed autonomy to raise funds and salaries on their own.
Rama added academics should seek funding on their own to increase their incomes through European institutions and other private universities.
However Ilir Alimehmeti, a university professor and medical doctor, says the autonomy is on paper only, with the government deciding the salary and funding levels. He added increasing salaries would make a long-term investment in public Albanian higher education.
“What we are seeing is students are simply leaving Albania. One in three. We have to start somewhere and this starts from investment,” said Alihmehmeti, adding smaller universities are starting to shut down bit by bit as the exodus and brain drain continues.
“What you pay is what you get,” Alihmehmeti said. “We have had professors with great potential that have simply left over low wages. We have to keep an eye on the product. If we don’t offer something better for our youths we will continue to have young people leaving the country.”
DP leader Sali Berisha said the largest opposition party fully supports the academic protesters, adding the protest is a cry to save public higher education in Albania.
“We offer full support to those protesting. DP stands behind any demands they are making to a government that is arrogant, fraudulent and thieving,” Berisha said.
