Santa Cruz teachers lift strike

The largest Santa Cruz teachers’ delegations took to their provincial conference in Caleta Olivia a statement in which they decided to call off the strike they began on April 15th. Their position had already been announced during their last assembly meeting, union sources confirmed.

“Classes will be resumed on Wednesday in order to make the situation more flexible,” the union’s spokesman Diego Barrionuevo assured. Nevertheless he warned that “if the government doesn’t summon us to negotiate, then the strike will continue until the end of the year.”

The order to call off the strike has been approved by the Santa Cruz Teachers’ Association (ADOSAC), and was drafted by teachers from the province’s capital, Caleta Olivia, Río Turbio and 28 de Noviembre, in order to clear the way for further salary negotiations.

Santa Cruz teachers were demanding a 50 percent hike in salaries and had rejected the government’s proposal of a 25 percent raise to be paid in three consecutive installments, which means a basic teacher’s salary would consist of $4,700.

The conflict kicked-in in February with the beginning of the school year. Teachers called 9 different Stripes until April 15th, when they called on an indefinite full strike.