The government agrees to give teachers back more working hours in the first stage, but keeps the five-year deadline

The government agreed to give teachers back more working time in the first stage of the recovery process, but maintained the five-year deadline of the original proposal, according to the first unions that met this Monday with the watchdog.

The Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation (MECI) this Monday again welcomed the unions to continue negotiations for the restoration of six years, six months and 23 days of service for teachers, with various counter-proposals on the table.

At the end of the meeting, the first unions interviewed by the watchdog said the government had presented a new proposal that closely met some of the teachers’ demands.

Regarding the original proposal, in which the government proposed to return service time by an average of 20% per year, Minister Fernando Alexandre today proposed to return 25% in the first two years, 20% in 2026 and 15% in 2027 and 2028.

“It is clear that we do not agree yet and the next day we will present a new counter-proposal,” the president of the National Union of Polytechnic and University Teachers (Spliu) told reporters.

Also speaking on behalf of the Portuguese Federation of Education, Teaching, Culture and Research (Fepeci), the Independent Union of Teachers and Pedagogues (SIPE) and the National Union of Licensed Teachers (SNPL), Manuel Monteiro added that the unions support some of the red lines associated with the intention of maintaining available vacancies at levels 5 and 7 and removing the career progression ‘accelerator’.

Regarding the decree-law approved by the previous leader, which allows teachers who suffered from two periods of career freezes to recover the time they spent waiting for vacancies for levels 5 and 7, the SIPE president added that the ministry left some guarantees.

“All those colleagues who restored service time during the shutdown of levels 4 and 6, this time will not be taken away due to defrosting, and this is a big, big victory,” said Julia Azevedo.

On the other hand, although the return of service dates comes into force on September 1, the Minister also guaranteed, according to the President of SIPE, that teachers who only formally meet the requirements a few months later will not suffer.

At today’s meetings, 12 trade union organizations presented various counter-proposals, which together would speed up the restoration of work experience to two to four years.

The second meeting, which began shortly after 15:30, will take place with the Association of the Union of Licensed Teachers (ASPL), with Pró-Ordem, the Union of Educators and Licensed Teachers (SEPLEU), the Union of Educators and Primary Education Teachers. (Sippeb) and the Union of All Educational Professionals (Stop), followed by the National Federation of Teachers (Fenprof) at 17:00 and the National Federation of Education (FNE) from 18:30.

The meetings take place as about fifty Stopa teachers and union leaders gather outside the MECI building, making themselves heard inside the building and shouting slogans.