National Trade Union Warns of Low Teacher Salaries

The president of the National Union of Higher Education (SNESup) warned on Sunday that problems with teachers in higher education are already starting to emerge as a result of the ageing class, the assessment system and the loss of purchasing power.

“Problems with university professors will also arise, in fact they are already beginning to arise, as a result of three very important factors: the first is the loss of purchasing power, the second is the aging of the class and the third is the grading system,” said Luse José Moreira.

The leader spoke to Lusa on the day it was announced that almost 50,000 students had been enrolled in the first stage of the national competition for access to higher education, a number that represents an increase compared to last year.

The SNESup president stressed that over the past 15 years, teachers have lost more than 30% of their purchasing power, which has put them in a very difficult situation.

In addition, the union leader noted the aging of the class, which in the coming years could be replenished with professionals, people from scientific research and those aged 40 to 50 years.

“That’s why they are not very young and this is a decision with a great future,” he emphasized.

In addition to these problems, José Moreira highlighted the evaluation system and the fact that university professors only advance up the salary scale when they have six consecutive years of excellent performance.

Saying it is “the only profession in the country” where you have to have an excellent job for six years in a row, the union leader recalled that there are teachers who have not progressed for 20 years.

“This is completely unfair and stupid.

So it was necessary to put an end to this quickly, and we hope that this minister will give a clear political signal, at least for now, by unblocking this issue of raising wages,” he said.

The SNESup president stressed that the engineering, technology and mathematics courses that students most need this year are already starting to face some challenges.

“We are already starting to have difficulty recruiting teachers for these areas because these are highly competitive areas where professionals are paid very well, and higher education can no longer keep up with the salaries they receive in other sectors, both domestically and internationally, and the situation will continue to get worse,” he realized.

In his view, the low-wage model has serious costs.

And this forces people with higher education to seek opportunities outside the country, “not always by choice, but because they have no other option.”

According to José Moreira, Portuguese higher education is recognized abroad, so graduates have no difficulty finding work outside the country.