Teachers To Go On National
Strike Action Tomorrow
Again, like in the years before, only this time a lot earlier than
usual, the Asociación de Profesores de Segunda Enseñanza (APSE) -
teachers union - has called on its membership to a national strike
for tomorrow, Thursday, February 26.
The union meeting outside the offices of the Ministerio de Trabajo
is asking for a "fair wage for the non-professionals".
Among the issues the union is protesting is the planned government
cuts of ¢7.5 billion colones of the budget of the public
universities, to fight for an increase in salary of non-professional
public employees and dissent over layoffs by business and
government.
Zaray Esquivel, secretary general of the APSE, said the strike also
includes the problems teachers continue to have over pay in the
first salary payment in February.
"People were paid, but weren't paid all", said Esquivel.
The problems with teachers not receiving their pay in full or on
time has been plaguing the Ministerio de Educacion Publica for some
time and the source of many of the protests by the various teachers
unions in the country.
In addition to the APSE, the members of the Sindicato de Educadores
Universitarios (Sindeu), specifically for teachers of the
Universidad de Costa Rica are upset over the planned budget cuts
annouced by the Finance minister.
The Sindeu says the cuts violate the country's political
constitution.
Tomorrow's strike action calls for all teachers to gather in front
of the building of the Ministerio de Trabajo y Seguridad Social.
The APSE is calling on all its teacher and public employee members
as well as other teachers unions like the Asociación Nacional de
Educadores (ANDE) and the Sindicato de la Educación Costarricense
(SEC) to join them tomorrow.
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