Governor Scioli prepares ‘final offer’ for teachers

In the midst of another teachers strike that resumed yesterday, Buenos Aires provincial Governor Daniel Scioli met with his cabinet to discuss what new offer can be proposed to the teachers to bring the conflict to an end.

Governor Scioli promised that his province would give its “full effort” to do what it can to solve the dispute but warned that their next teacher’s pay provincial hike offer would be the “last offer.”

Labour Minister Oscar Cuartango stated that the province lacks the necessary funds.“The salary adjustment negotiations are happening at an inopportune time, in the context of an international economic crisis and domestic situation, which hampers our ability to provide an offer that is satisfactory for the teachers, but it will be the best we can provide,” said the minister.

A government spokesman reported that they are still not sure when further negotiations with unions will take place. Last week the unions rejected the 17.8 percent proposal offered by the government.

FEB Education Workers head Mirta Petrocini said: “Authorities have taken negotiations to the limit, trying to impose a pay increase, without any chance for discussions. The FGDB Teachers Union Front threatened that if the government doesn’t improve on its 17.8 percent salary increase offer, they would strike all next week, and warned they would hold protest marches against several private schools that were threatening to fire teachers participating in the public school strikes.

190-day school year at risk

If teachers carry out their five day strike threat, Buenos Aires province will not be able to complete the 190-day school year mandated by the Education Ministry. Students have already missed four out of six official school days since the beginning of the school year after teachers went on strike the first two days of this and last week.

Herald with Ambito.com, DyN, Telam