STOP coordinator says minimum services are not being met in schools

The coordinator of the Union of All Educational Professionals (STOP) said on Monday that the minimum services during the strike are not being met in schools, denouncing that there are even professionals who are not allowed to accompany their children to consultations.

“We have been informed of several situations in which even these minimum services, which we already consider illegal, are clearly not respected,” Andre Pestana accused.

Speaking to reporters earlier in the evening in front of the Faculty of Economics at the University of Coimbra, the union leader said there are several schools that are calling “all teachers”.

“There are situations when almost all operational assistants are called, which we clearly consider an abuse. There are also situations of great insensitivity when there are educators who, due to the minimum scope of services, cannot accompany their children to consultations. such as cancer,” he added.

According to Andre Pestana, this incident occurred in the north, but he refused to specify which school he had in mind.

Regarding the meeting with the Ministry of Education scheduled for Thursday, he hopes that “this time the Minister will schedule meetings on topics that STOP is trying to put on the negotiating table.”

Among these issues, he pointed to equality between teachers on the mainland in relation to teachers from the archipelagos, an increase in the number of non-teaching professionals in schools “with higher wages and decent careers”, as well as an increase in the minimum wage of 120 euros for teachers and non-teachers.

The STOP coordinator also took the opportunity to leave a message to other trade union structures, in the sense of meeting before going to the Ministry of Education, to present a joint proposal and have “more negotiating powers”.