G. Jankus announced his resignation from the position of chairman of the LRS Kaunas branch on Facebook. He stated that due to staff reductions, it might be more difficult to maintain the branch’s activities carried out so far.
Read more KTU scientist’s verdict: 7 myths about allergies we still believe in
“It would be unacceptable for me to reduce the branch’s activities, narrow the dissemination on the website kaunorasytojai.lt and the social network FB, stop newsletters, reduce projects, etc.,” wrote G. Jankus.
According to him, a few months ago, the branch’s clerk was dismissed due to staff reductions. G. Jankus indicated that she was responsible for maintaining and managing the content of the website kaunorasytojai.lt, overseeing the Kaunas writers’ Facebook account, preparing newsletters, assisting in preparing project applications, and performing other tasks.
G. Jankus stated that “from one and a half positions in Kaunas, only half remains.”
From one and a half positions in Kaunas, only half remains.
Why are positions being reduced?
LRS confirmed that the Kaunas branch positions were reduced this spring. The LRS board approved the employee position restructuring plan and the new list of positions on March 24, 2026, effective April 1.
According to the union, the decision to reduce the Kaunas branch positions was made considering the scope of activities of the Kaunas and Klaipėda branches.
“It was decided to equalize the size of positions between the Kaunas and Klaipėda branches,” LRS told 15min.
Due to this decision, the workload of the Kaunas branch chairman was reduced to 0.5 positions, and the 0.5 position of the clerk was eliminated.
G. Jankus said he was offered to work half-time instead of full-time.
“I did not agree to work under such conditions,” he said.
According to G. Jankus, this decision did not seem justified to him.
“The motive to equalize positions with the Klaipėda branch did not seem justified to me,” said G. Jankus.
G. Jankus was dismissed
LRS explains that G. Jankus was offered to continue working but with a reduced workload of 0.5 positions. He did not agree to this.
“After Gediminas Jankus refused to work at 0.5 positions and following the end of his sick leave, he was dismissed from his duties,” LRS stated.
After Gediminas Jankus refused to work at 0.5 positions and following the end of his sick leave, he was dismissed from his duties.
The union states that the employment contract was terminated under Article 57, Part 1, Point 1 of the Labor Code.
Simply put, this article of the Labor Code allows the employer to terminate the employment contract without the employee’s fault when, due to changes in work organization or other reasons related to the employer’s activities, the employee’s function becomes unnecessary. In this case, LRS indicates that the chairman’s workload was reduced to 0.5 positions, and G. Jankus did not agree to work under such conditions.
Thus, according to LRS, G. Jankus’s dismissal was related to the restructuring of positions, not to his work results or violations.
How is the Kaunas branch working after the restructuring?
Since August 1, the temporary chairman of the LRS Kaunas branch is poet and priest Skaidrius Kandratavičius. He was appointed by the Kaunas branch council.
S. Kandratavičius said that the branch’s activities have not stopped after the staff reductions.
“We are reorganizing, optimizing, but we are alive and working,” he told 15min.
According to the temporary chairman, he personally submits project applications to the Lithuanian Council for Culture and plans the main branch events.
“I submit applications to LKT, plan the main events,” said S. Kandratavičius.
He also said that major occasions will continue to be organized in cooperation with the branch’s traditional partners.
“I discuss major occasions; we will carry them out with traditional partners,” he said.
However, there are already changes in communication. S. Kandratavičius said he updates the website as much as possible but does not manage social networks.
Read more There has not yet been a shock in Tokyo: two Russian gas giants attacked from 3000 km away
“I update the website as much as possible, just not the social networks,” he said.
S. Kandratavičius also admitted that due to reduced capacity, the pace of the branch’s activities might be slower.
It is natural if the pace possibly slows down a bit; I hope it is temporary.
“It is natural if the pace possibly slows down a bit; I hope it is temporary,” he said.
According to him, further activities will also depend on project funding and the involvement of the branch members themselves.
“It will depend on the scope of our project support. On the concerted efforts of benevolent colleagues,” said S. Kandratavičius.
LRS: the scope of activities will not change
Although G. Jankus expressed concern that fewer employees might mean a smaller scope of branch activities, LRS says it does not see such changes for now.
The union indicated that the Kaunas branch has planned its activities according to the LRS strategic program and that the scope of planned activities does not differ from previous ones.
“No changes in activities are observed according to the planned activities,” said LRS.
Thus, LRS and the former branch leader have different assessments on this issue. G. Jankus believes that a smaller workload will make it harder to maintain the previous scale of activities. Meanwhile, LRS claims that the scope of planned activities does not change due to the restructuring.
The current chairman of the Kaunas branch also says that the main activities continue but admits that due to reduced capacity, the pace of work may be slower.
What activities has the Kaunas branch carried out so far?
G. Jankus led the LRS Kaunas branch since October 2019. This is also confirmed by the LRS Kaunas branch information.
In his farewell message, he wrote that his main responsibility was to care for the dissemination of Kaunas writers’ creativity, events, their evaluation, and social issues.
“The Kaunas branch unites 50 members; I described the scope of activities,” said G. Jankus.
In his farewell post, he wrote that the branch organized more than 20 events per year, cared for the dissemination of Kaunas writers’ creativity, prepared project applications and newsletters, maintained the website kaunorasytojai.lt and the Kaunas writers’ Facebook account.
According to G. Jankus, about 120 publications were posted annually on the website, and about four applications were prepared for partial branch activity funding – from book presentations and writers’ anniversaries to online dissemination of creativity.
He said that during his leadership, kaunorasytojai.lt’s traffic grew to almost 80,000 visits, and the Kaunas writers’ Facebook account has nearly 4,000 followers.
G. Jankus also emphasized that the traditions of the Poetry Spring, Maironis Prize, and “One Litas” Prize were continued.
He said that this scope of activities was one of the reasons why he did not agree to work half-time.
It would be unacceptable for me to reduce the branch’s activities, narrow the dissemination on the website kaunorasytojai.lt and the social network FB, stop newsletters, reduce projects, etc.
“It would be unacceptable for me to reduce the branch’s activities, narrow the dissemination on the website kaunorasytojai.lt and the social network FB, stop newsletters, reduce projects, etc.,” wrote G. Jankus.
So far, LRS claims that the scope of planned activities of the Kaunas branch will not change. Meanwhile, the current branch chairman admits that due to smaller capacity, the pace of activities may slow down, and he does not manage social networks himself.
Read more Changed mind: «OpenAI» urges the US to regulate powerful artificial intelligence
