The Prime Minister highlighted the “historic agreement” reached with teachers

This Wednesday, the Prime Minister highlighted the “historic agreement” reached on Tuesday with the teachers, considering that “it will put an end to a period of instability that has been a very difficult punishment” for Portuguese students and their families.

“To express words of great confidence and respect to the Portuguese public school, to the Portuguese teachers, who yesterday had the opportunity, in close dialogue, to reach a historic agreement with the government that will put an end to a period of instability that seriously penalizes the interests of Portuguese students and their families,” said Luis Montenegro in statement to journalists.

Following the meeting of the Supreme Council of Internal Security, the Prime Minister emphasized that the government “went further than was envisaged by previous commitments” and the restoration of teachers’ seniority “will happen faster.”

“As Leader of the Opposition, I have repeatedly made commitments in the election campaign and have already made it part of my role as Prime Minister to discuss the government’s program to restore teachers’ seniority. It was possible to go beyond what was reflected in previous commitments,” he said, emphasizing “loyal and transparent dialogue.”

The proposal presented on Tuesday by the guardianship body, which would provide seniority compensation at an average of 25% per year between 2024 and 2027, was accepted by seven of the 12 teachers’ unions involved in the negotiations: the National Federation of Education (FNE), the National Federation Education and Research (Fenei), Independent Union of Teachers and Pedagogues (SIPE), Portuguese Federation of Professionals in Education, Teaching, Culture and Research (Fepeci), National Union of Teachers Licensed by Polytechnics and Universities (Spliu), National Union of Licensed Teachers ( SNPL) and the Union of Educators and Teachers of Primary Education (Sippeb).

The government began negotiations by proposing to count working hours at an average rate of 20% per year, and the most recent proposal, presented a week ago, would have provided a 50% refund in the first two years but retained a five-year period. originally proposed: 20% would fall in 2026 and 15% in 2027 and 2028.

According to the Minister of Education, the measure will cover about 100 thousand teachers, and from 2027, when all six years, six months and 23 days will be returned, its annual cost to the state will be 300 million euros, as the head has already calculated.

The five trade union organizations that rejected the proposal are the National Federation of Teachers (Fenprof), the Union of All Education Workers (Stop), the Association of Licensed Teachers (ASPL), Pró-Ordem and the Union of Educators and Licensed Teachers (SEPLEU). — We will now, together with the participants, evaluate the possibility of requesting additional negotiations to restore service time.