The Union of All Educational Workers (STOP) announced this Saturday a two-week strike of teachers and non-teaching staff from November 13 to 19, as well as a national demonstration in Lisbon on November 18.
At a press conference this morning in Coimbra, the union president said it was necessary for the government to recognize that educationists “will not stop fighting for a better public school for all students, whether they are the children of rich people or poor people.”
“In a year of economic growth and additional tax revenues of more than two billion euros, we cannot continue to live with tens of thousands of students without teachers, psychologists, therapists, operational assistants, and with education workers ignored, exhausted and deprived of their rights,” emphasized Andre Pestana.
The union leader believes the current 2024 OE budget “fails to effectively invest in public schools and the dignity of all those who work and study there.”
“We want to warn parents and society at large that if nothing is done, the next OE will deepen the degradation of public schools and the quality of education for our children, irreversibly jeopardizing their future,” he stressed.
According to STOP’s president, the decision to launch “Struggle November” in the month of the OE discussion was made on Thursday evening at an online meeting by more than 100 trade union and strike committees.
The national strike from November 13 to 29 will be organized in every school and group, as in the previous academic year, through strike funds “which are 100% legal, with full autonomy and democratic decision-making by teaching and non-teaching staff.” in every establishment.”
The last day coincides with the date of the final vote on OE 2024 in the Assembly of the Republic to apply pressure to ensure that the document “truly reflects the needs that public schools have and are not reflected.”
The national demonstration on November 18 will take place from the Ministry of Education to the Assembly of the Republic.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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