Argentine Teachers Start National Strike

March 4, 2024 Hour: 8:37 am

On Monday, the General Confederation of Labor (CGT) led a national strike to demand salary improvements and other demands.

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Previously, the administration of far-right President Javier Milei announced the elimination of the Teacher Incentive Fund (FONID).

In response to these and other measures aimed at reducing the public sector, the unions demand that the government finance public education and approve a salary increase in line with the loss of purchasing power.

“We want students in schools. We hold the government responsible for the measures we take… The government has to finance and support education,” said Sergio Romero, the secretary of the Argentine Teachers’ Union (UDA).

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— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24)
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The Association of Technical Education Teachers (AMET), the Argentine Union of Private Teachers (SADOP), and the Confederation of Argentine Educators (CEA) are also participating in the national strike.

So far, the Milei administration has not made proposals to improve the monthly salary of teachers, which has decreased from 296 to 261 dollars after the elimination of the FONID.

The UDA leader emphasized that education workers are currently receiving a salary that is “below the poverty line.”

Since the far-right politician assumed the presidency in December, the Argentine peso has devalued by more than 54 percent, and the poverty rate has increased to 57.4 percent at the end of January, according to a study carried out by the Catholic University.

#FromTheSouth News Bits | The Federal Justice of Argentina ruled in favor of the province of Chubut and forced the national government to suspend the cutback of co-participation funds. pic.twitter.com/hZvJOSuIcH

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish)
February 28, 2024