Prilep, 11 April 2022 (MIA) — Ninety-five percent of Prilep's preschool, elementary, and high school staff in are on strike after the Education, Science and Culture Workers Union announced a nationwide teachers’ strike on Monday to demand an 18.4 percent increase of public school salaries. According to MIA's Prilep correspondent, the local union branch leader Zlatko Dumbaloski said only 20 teachers were holding classes in the Prilep region while 2,870 education employees had joined the strike for higher wages. "Many parents, too, have shown their support by not bringing their children to school," he said. Hristina Trpcheska, head of the six local preschools, said that a total of 70 preschoolers still showed up on Monday. The nationwide teachers' strike was organized by the Education, Science and Culture Workers Union after failing to negotiate a pay increase with the government over the past two weeks. Unionists are demanding the government increase teachers' salaries by 18.4 percent in accordance with the recent national minimum wage increase from Mden 15,200 to Mden 18,000. mr/