Polish Teachers' Union announces protest in Warsaw over wages

The Polish Teachers' Union (ZNP) has announced a mass demonstration scheduled for August 31, 2026, in front of the Prime Minister’s Office in Warsaw. The protest is a response to what union leaders describe as unfulfilled government promises regarding teacher salaries and the stagnation of the civic project ‘Godne płace i wysoki prestiż nauczycieli’ (Decent Wages and High Prestige for Teachers), which has remained in the Sejm for over two years.

ZNP President Sławomir Broniarz stated that dialogue with the government has effectively ceased since June. The union is demanding permanent, predictable financial mechanisms rather than one-off raises. They have criticized the government's proposed 3 percent wage indexation for 2027 as insufficient.

Additionally, teachers are facing challenges related to tax thresholds. Approximately 36 percent of teachers currently fall into the higher 32 percent tax bracket, often due to working multiple positions to cover staff shortages. While Prime Minister Donald Tusk recently announced plans to raise the second tax threshold from 120,000 PLN to 130,000 PLN, the ZNP is still analyzing how these changes will impact educators.