Teachers and non-teaching workers returned this Saturday to demonstrate in Lisbon as part of a march organized by the Union of All Educational Professionals (Stop) to protect public schools and improve working conditions and wages.
This is the fourth demonstration promoted by Stop since December, when it also launched an indefinite strike that continues to this day, demanding better conditions for all school workers, such as a €120 increase in wages.
The procession is scheduled to start at 2:00 pm in front of the Palace of Justice as, as Stop’s national coordinator explained, they are “demanding justice” and heading towards the prime minister’s official residence.
The protest will then join the meeting of the Vida Justa movement in front of the Assembly of the Republic, where some teachers and non-teachers will start a three-day vigil, also organized by Stop.
In a statement, the union expects to camp there by more than 100 people by Tuesday, “with their mouths tied and their hands tied in protest against all attacks” that they say are against democracy and the right to strike and “on a quality public school. for everyone who works there.
In addition to improving working conditions and wages for school professionals, Stop is also calling for the reinstatement of more than six years of work for teachers and the closing of vacancies for access to the 5th and 7th career levels.
They also dispute the government’s proposal for a new recruitment and placement model for teachers, which was under negotiation with unions.
The negotiation process ended on Wednesday without the consent of the teachers’ representatives. At the end of the meeting, Stop’s national coordinator André Pestana did not say whether the union would ask for more talks, but felt that the progress he said was made through the challenge was still not enough. .
“Obviously, this is too little for the central issues that are not brought up for discussion,” he stressed.
On the last “Stop” march on 28 January, which took place along Avenida 24 de Julio, from the Ministry of Education to the gardens in front of the official residence of the President of the Republic, the union claims to have gathered more than 100,000 people.
Author: Portuguese
Source: CM Jornal
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