The Minister of Education, Science and Innovation (MECI) on Tuesday highlighted the agreement reached with seven of the 12 unions representing teachers to restore working hours, praising joint efforts to bring them closer together.
“This is fulfilling what the government promised at the time, which I think was very swift. In about a month we succeeded, through an intensive negotiation process, in which, on the part of the government and representatives of teachers, an attempt was made to bring,” said Fernando Alexandre.
The minister spoke with journalists following the third negotiation meeting to determine the terms of restoration in six years, six months and 23 days and until the reception of the National Federation of Teachers (Fenprof).
The proposal presented on Tuesday by the guardianship authority, which provides for the compensation of seniority by an average of 25% per year between 2024 and 2027, was accepted by the National Federation of Education (FNE), FENEI, SIPE, FEPECI, SPLIU, SNPL. and 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.
“This shows the government’s desire to move closer to the needs and problems of the sector, but we also found in many unions a desire to solve a problem that was very old and which was bringing great instability to our schools and which so far “No government has shown a willingness to solve” , – the minister emphasized.
The measure will cover around 100,000 teachers and, from 2027, when all six years, six months and 23 days are returned, will cost the state an annual cost of €300 million, according to executive estimates that have already been assessed.
Despite the demands of teachers, the ministry has maintained the position that seniority compensation will only serve the purpose of career advancement, with no compensation mechanisms in place for teachers who are already at the top of their careers or about to retire. nevertheless.
This was Fenprof’s main line, and when asked about his expectations from the last meeting of the day with the trade union federation, the minister replied that “this was never part of the decision.”
“(Fenprof) has its own agenda, and I confess that in many discussions I often have doubts that education is its main concern and even teachers,” he accused, believing that the trade union organization systematically creates obstacles and that this is “one of the reasons why many problems drag on.”
Fernando Alexandre also said that the closure of the first negotiation process is “the beginning of a process.” “In order to do what needs to be done – and there is a lot that needs to be done – it was necessary to solve this problem, which has left many teachers dissatisfied for a long time,” he defended.
At the beginning of the day, the FNE Secretary General already considered that the agreement had reached the mark of “a historic day for teachers.”
Representing the five unions that took part in the second meeting, at which they all signed the agreement, SIPE President Julia Azevedo emphasized “a victory for everyone, including the public school.”
The trade union leader also emphasized that the government guarantees the restoration of seniority in two years and ten months “without losing a single day.”
On the other hand, among the organizations that rejected the trusteeship proposal, Pró-Ordem president Filipe do Paulo, ASPL president Fátima Ferreira and SEPLEU president Pedro Gil explained that there was no understanding with the government. .
Introducing the four, Filipe do Paulo stressed that the minister “insists on abandoning this entire group of teachers” and that “it is a lack of political will” on the part of the ministry, referring to those who are already at the top of their careers. .
In turn, Stop national coordinator André Pestana said the union regrets that “there are still no guarantees for the reimbursement of all time worked,” especially for teachers at the end of their careers and those between levels 8 and 10.
“Stop will not leave or forget all these thousands of teachers,” he defended, adding that the union would demand additional negotiations.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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