Mexico is not the only country in Latin America where droves of educators are taking to the streets to protest. After weeks of unsuccessful negotiating, the national teachers union in Colombia finally signed an agreement with the government over unpaid wages and benefits on Tuesday, suspending a strike that consisted of 330,000 people.
The agreement reached on Tuesday halted a strike that affected at least 10 million students around the country. Some of the issues the agreement covers are teacher healthcare benefits, retirement plans, unpaid debts, and bonuses for those working in areas difficult to access.
The strike, led by teachers union Fecode, had been planned in late August and was expected to shut down 376 schools in Bogota alone. Although Fecode and the government had drawn up several agreements in the weeks leading up to September 10, the union remained unsatisfied with the agreements and continued with the planned strike for that day. Fecode claims that the government owes an approximate 40 billion dollars to teachers.
The teacher strike follows a slew of strikes in Colombia that have included workers from a number of agricultural sectors and have spanned weeks. In addressing the teachers union, President Juan Manuel Santos declared his support for fair pay and benefits to the country’s educators, citing his administration’s record for improving teacher conditions more than any other recent government.
Though the agreement promises significant gains for the teacher union, it also has its limitations. The ministry of education has identified some of the issues brought up by the teachers union as nonnegotiable, including mandatory teacher evaluations that are used to enhance teacher performance.
In some parts of the country, students protested alongside teachers to show their support. In a statement released to the press, Fecode expressed that they hope the agreement reached on Tuesday will alleviate the difficulties that led to the strike’s culmination.
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Written by Stephanie Jimenez