A coffin, a machine gun brother and strong support in the district teachers' strike in the Algarve

Adherence to the strike was over 93% across the region

Photos: Hugo Rodrigues | Sul Informação

There were about a thousand teachers who concentrated in front of the Municipal Market of Faro, in protest, and who marched to the regional delegation of Education in the Algarve, but there were many more who joined the teachers' strike in the district of Faro, which took place today and had a membership «between 93% and 95%», according to the Union of Teachers of the South Zone (SPZS).

Ana Simões, SPZS coordinator in the Algarve, told journalists that «there were several schools with 100% adherence» and a large number of educational establishments «that are completely without classes, in pre-school, 1st, 2nd and 3rd and secondary cycles». Even in the schools where teachers went to work, participation was “very high”.

The union leader also said that the level of participation was similar across the region and that the data refer to "schools throughout the Algarve, from Lagos to Vila Real de Santo António".

 

Photos: Hugo Rodrigues | Sul Informação

 

According to Ana Simões, the protest and the strong participation are a response to the Government's refusal to «meet the many demands that teachers have had for years».

More than the issue of competitions, which «is talked about a lot and is of interest», there are other matters that teachers have wanted to «negotiate since Minister João Costa took office: careers, recovery of length of service and the end of quotas and vacancies, precariousness and working conditions. There is also the question of retirement, since teachers are the only public administration employees who do not have access to pre-reform”.

Em Faro, the teachers who joined the demonstration by districts promoted by nine union structures, including FENPROF, to which SPZS belongs, and FNE, not only shouted slogans, but also displayed posters, some of them very original, like one in coffin-shaped and another that showed a “João Costa” shrapnel.

 

Photos: Hugo Rodrigues | Sul Informação

 

From the sound system set up by the protest organization, phrases such as “No young person can handle it, precarious up to 50”, “Schedules overloaded, teachers devastated” or “Principals to be recruited, we cannot accept”, were repeated in chorus by the demonstrators, who were about XNUMX, according to a police estimate.

José Costa, vice-president of FENPROF, was also at the protest, whose size and participation was “identical to those that have already taken place” and which “will continue to happen” in other districts.

The union leader also considered that this «is an answer that the minister has to listen to» and that «things need to change».

«On the 20th of January, he was very uncomfortable with the thousands of teachers who were outside, but, afterwards, the proposal he presented does not meet anything», he accused.

The nine union structures involved in today's protest were the Union Association of Licensed Teachers (ASPL), National Federation of Teachers (FENPROF), Pró-Ordem dos Professores - Union Association/Portuguese Federation of Teachers, Union of Educators and Licensed Teachers (SEPLEU ), National Union of Education Professionals (SINAPE), National and Democratic Union of Teachers (SINDEP), Independent Union of Teachers and Educators (SIPE) and National Union of Teachers Licensed by Polytechnics and Universities (SPLIU) and National Federation of Education ( FNE).

Photos: Hugo Rodrigues | Sul Informação

 

 

 

 

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