Possible Layoffs for University Staff and Teachers

Education minister Kostantinos Arvanitopoulos has left open the possibility of layoffs among secondary school teachers and tertiary education administrative staff. Speaking on Athina 984, the municipal radio station of Athens,the minister stated that the aim is to absorb teachers relegated to "availability" in other positions, minimizing layoffs. Mr. Arvanitopoulos said that there wasn't the luxury of time to conduct assessments, since the country was in an emergency situation. The minister was referring to the need to put 1500 tertiary education adiminstrative staff on "availability" while rectors refused to send employee lists.

The Polytechnic School of Athens has threatened with a shut down, if even one of its staff is moved or fired.

The minister said that some of these employees may be absorbed in other institutionsnoting that during the last decades there were massive hirings by universities.

Sources close to the minister noted that he had guaranteed, a few days ago, in parliament, that none of the specific teachers would be laid off, noting that he meantthat they would be absorbed by the helth ministry in positions having to do with their specializations.

Meanwhile in announcement, Democratic Left (DIMAR) noted that "The "availability" of tertiary edcation institution staff being promoted by the education ministry is an erroneous policy that will have severe negative repercussions in the functioning of these institutions.

Meanwhile, minister of government reform Kyriakos Mitsotakis noted that 15 September was the cut off date when asked about the "availability" of teriary education institution administrative staff. The compilation of lists from among these employees is a stumbling block in finalizing the list of 12,500 slated for the first wave of "availability" "In any event we will be ready when the time comes," said Mr. Mitsotakis