Solís to face demonstrations by striking teachers at Casa Presidencial on first day

(ICR archive)

May 9^th, 2014 (InsideCostaRica.com) Costa Rica’s teachers, who have been on a nationwide strike since Monday, will march to Casa Presidencial today.

Educators took a pause from demonstrations yesterday in respect of the inauguration of Luis Guillermo Solís as Costa Rica’s 47^th president.

The teachers unions, who say they are on an “indefinite” strike until all of the country’s public school teachers and employees are paid back-due wages, will march today from the Fuente de la Hispanidad in San Pedro to Casa Presidencial in Zapote where they plan to greet President Solís with demonstrations on his first day in office.

The Ministry of Public Education (MEP) has blamed the issue on a faulty payroll system.

Solís said this week that he supports the striking teachers.  “As an educator and a citizen, I join in solidarity with the striking teachers of Costa Rica.  What happened to the teachers of this country, due to the faulty application of the Integra-Dos payroll system, is not acceptable,” Solís said.

Unions claim that some 7,000 teachers and other school staff have been owed unpaid wages since as early as January.

Union leaders have said their strike would last indefinitely until all past-due wages are paid.   According to union leaders, teachers and other school employees have faced foreclosures on their homes, while others have been jailed for being unable to make child support payments – some even arrested in their classrooms, union leaders claim.

The march is expected to begin at 10 a.m.