Scioli calls for teachers ‘change of attitude’

Buenos Aires province teachers yesterday brought a three-day protest to an end, culminating the strong protest with a massive demonstration before the provincial Government House in La Plata.

Unions including SUTEBA and FEB have been locking horns with the Daniel Scioli administration over wage hikes for weeks, in what has become a critically prolonged conflict.

Yesterday union leaders warned that following the latest protests, the governor has “three days to summon us... If another and superior wage offer is not received, the conflicts will continue, which will be analyzed at the assemblies.”

SUTEBA leader Roberto Baradel highlighted the “impressively massive” following they received yesterday, affirming that “teachers from throughout the province adhered to this demand and therefore we hope that Governor Daniel Scioli takes note of this situation.”

“If they do not have the money, let them say how much is missing, and let them charge the richest... We will continue fighting until a teacher can live from only one job,” Baradel asserted.

Striking unions rejected the Scioli administration’s third offer of a 22.6 percent hike to be implemented in three installments.

Speaking at a World Water Day event with provincial mayors yesterday, Scioli called for greater flexibility and a “change of attitude” from teachers, considering that half this academic year has been interrupted by industrial action.

The Governor requested “help” and “support” from mayors so that “children can be in the classrooms while discussions continue.”

“A minimum was demanded from us, we granted the minimum, we were asked to exceed it, and we have exceeded it,” Scioli added referring to the offers made, emphasizing that currently the “average salary exceeds 6,000 pesos.”

The governor assured his administration did not seek to “aggravate conflicts” and would “always be willing to continue investing everything within reach in education because this goes hand in hand with profoundly resolving all the problems we face.”

As well as wage hikes, teachers are demanding the payment of arrears from last year, infrastructure work and improved school transport services in certain areas of the province.

Herald with DyN, Telam