Markus Söder ©, Sven Simon/IMAGO
Political and pedagogical celebrities from all over Germany gather at the Bavarian Teachers' Association.
This analysis is IPPEN. MEDIA in the course of a cooperation with the Bildung.Table Professional Briefing – it was first published by Bildung.Table on 24 May 2023.
Prime Minister Markus Söder and his deputy promise a luxury salary for teachers – which is a real danger for the schools of other countries.
"Your re-election is more secure than mine," said Markus Söder to the President of the Bavarian Teachers' Association, Simone Fleischmann. Of course, this was flattery on the part of the prime minister. He had come to Würzburg for the Assembly of Delegates of the BLLV in order to win its 62,000 members as voters. So he ensnared. But at the same time, Söder's bow and the congress itself made it clear: In Bavaria, the clocks tick differently. You can buy your way out of the shortage of teachers – at the expense of neighbouring countries. Other issues played practically no role in Würzburg.
In Bavaria, a few months before the election, an auction for the favor of teachers has flared up. Currently, the government of the CSU and Free Voters has a narrow majority in polls. The elections are in October. So there was a race in Würzburg for the most expensive election promises – but they are not only important domestically in Munich, Nuremberg, Augsburg or Würzburg. What Bavaria is doing right now poses a threat to the schools of other countries.
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Aiwanger: "You are future makers, we need you"
Deputy Prime Minister Hubert Aiwanger climbed the stage on Thursday evening, no, he stormed it to smear honey around the beards of BLLV members, who teach mainly in elementary and middle schools. "Tell me where the shoe pinches you. A big thank you to you!" exclaimed Aiwanger. Rarely had the poltergeist been heard so lamb-like. "You are the future makers, we need you - and we fight for you!" They waited for Aiwanger to perform the Erich Mielke bon mot "I love you all".
In Bavaria, education policy simply works differently. When there are elections there, half the government comes flocking to the teachers. To listen to them demonstratively. To feign understanding. And to offer election gifts. Burning issues such as primary school reading or digitization may be priority number 1 elsewhere. Here in Bavaria, it is a matter of promising teachers that the terrible shortage of teachers – which has long prevailed in the Free State – is ready to be reduced as quickly as possible. The first and most important building block for this is to extend the A13 salary to all teachers. A13 - that was the all-determining code number in Würzburg.
Markus Söder: Salary rain on teachers
The salary increase for Bavaria's teachers is not only as good as decided, but also controversial. Free voters and CSU are fighting for the copyright of who made A13 possible before the election. Aiwanger claimed on the market square that "without the Free Voters, we wouldn't have A13." This claim cannot be checked exactly. But there are some indications that Aiwanger has given the CSU the spurs. But while the Free Voters leader, who is difficult to understand outside Bavaria, comes across like a bulldozer, Markus Söder can do the foil.
Here, too, a clear difference to the other pedagogical provinces of Germany can be shown. The level of detail that the Prime Minister had to offer in his speech is unique for a sovereign. Söder did not dwell long on the question of who is ultimately responsible for the fact that A13 is tied down for all teachers before the election. The Prime Minister also flattered the teachers, albeit rhetorically much more skillfully than Aiwanger – and better in substance.
A13 and premium pay for 46 percent of teachers on top
Because what Söder announced was balm on the souls of 62,000 BLLVler. The Franconian turncoat pointed out that with the introduction of A13 for all teachers, the providers of performance and functional salaries must also be upgraded. Söder – or his speechwriter – showed that he sees through to the capillaries of civil servants' salaries. The premium salaries "A13+" for headmasters and super teachers, which the Prime Minister announced, affect 46 percent of teachers at primary and secondary schools. "That was a huge gift from the Prime Minister," said salary expert and BLLV Vice-President Gerd Nitschke. "I didn't expect it to be like this."
What seems like white and blue local color that no one in Germany has to worry about is in fact a declaration of war. Teachers from neighbouring Bavarian countries now have a very attractive argument for coming to the Free State. Because Bavaria's A13 is already worth 7,000 euros gross annually more than the A13 of other countries. On top of that, Bavaria offers a one-time regional bonus of 3,000 euros plus the assumption of relocation costs.
Baden-Württemberg will pay dearly for A13 refusal
For primary school teachers from the A13 states of Hesse, Thuringia and Saxony, a change is rewarded with around 10,000 euros, calculated for the first year. A move from Thuringia to Bavaria, for example, brings an increase of 10,700 euros gross in the first year. A teacher from Baden-Württemberg can even gain 14,305 euros if he goes to a shortage region of Bavaria. In the Ländle, A12 continues to be the starting salary for primary and secondary schools. Each additional year in Bavaria adds 11,300 euros.
Education Minister Theresa Schopper (Alliance 90/The Greens) may pay dearly for her refusal to approve A13 for all teachers. What should prevent a primary school teacher from Ulm from becoming a teacher in Neu-Ulm – and earning an additional 15,000 euros in the first year?
Bavaria's salary rain over the teachers has significance for the whole of Germany. The southern state is so economically potent that it can buy its way out of the shortage of teachers. Baden-Württemberg is not a poor church mouse – yet the high-tech center of Germany cannot keep up with Söder's power plant. But what does this mean for states like Saarland, Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania or Saxony-Anhalt? How are these small and, on top of that, bitterly poor countries supposed to keep up with the Free State? (By Christian Füller)
