Teachers declare strike for 72 hours

Sixteen of the main teachers´ associations of the country announced yesterday a national strike of 72 extendable hours.

With this measure, they reject the “final proposal" which the high-level Commission appointed by the Government had presented, which offered a wage adjustment to teachers, but in two years.

Strike

From the weekend the spokesmen of the teachers´ associations stated that such proposal does not conform to their aspirations, but that even so would be evaluated in council general.

However, from 7:00 a.m. yesterday, journalistic offices nationwide reported an irregular day and a marked truancy in the official centers.

At 11:00 a.m., after the Assembly general convened in the Republic of Venezuela School, the rejection to the proposal of the Government was formalized.

Not even the persistent drizzle that was falling at that time could calm the unison shout: strike! Strike! With Professor Diógenes Sánchez (of Asoprof) as moderator, teachers´ bases of the educational regions of San Miguelito and Panama Center gave a categorical rejection to the main points offered by the high-level Commission.

Among them was waiting until August 15 for payment to teachers that do not get paid from the beginning of the school year. Nor was accepted waiting until October 30 for the payment of stipend payable for working in areas of difficult access, promotion of categories or expired validity.

Similarly the teachers rejected 'progressive salary rise' proposed by the management of President Varela, of $150 from June 1, 2017, and other $150 payable from July of 2018.

The loud reading of the proposal of the Government also caused a general rejection, which seeks to “eliminate the $300” which is commitment of State acquired in 2015.

Faced with this panorama, through a symbolic vote on hand aloft, it was decided to go on strike nationally for 72 hours, extendable, which began with a protest march from the school that serves as capital bastion to the National Assembly (AN).

Over there they performed picket actions, "to show the Budget Committee of the AN that we will be on alert so that they meet the matter of wage increase", explained teachers´ leader Humberto Montero.

'Varela, give me my increase, we demand $600', protested teachers, even in the drizzle.

Prior to the announcement of strike, President Juan Carlos Varela was criticized for being away from the national reality, even outside the country (in the U.S.).

But yesterday he reappeared in the arena, with early visits to schools in San Miguelito, Arnulfo Arias and Ascanio Villalaz, in San Joaquín, Pedregal.

From there, Varela called the strike to be 'completely unnecessary', because, in his view, it constitutes a 'force measurement through which the only thing lost is Panama';.

However, Diógenes Sánchez, teachers’´ leader, justified the measure, claiming that they comply with a process of institutional improvement to ensure the education, according to Decree 155.

Yesterday at 3:00 p.m. the unions gave an official statement to the high-level Committee, and announced that today they convoked the bases again in the República de Venezuela School.

Provinces

In the rest of the educational regions of the country there are protest mobilizations

Starting yesterday, classes at official centers in the provinces of Panama Oeste, Herrera and Los Santos were not being taught.

For today a mass concentration at Colegio Manuel María Tejada Roca, in Las Tablas, has been announced by educators and another similar activity of the Unions, in the central park of Chitré.

And in David, Chiriquí, the mass concentration will be in front of the regional offices of the Ministry of Education.

Varela called teachers´ leaders “cowards” for calling for a strike

President Juan Carlos Varela criticized yesterday the teachers´ leaders who he accused of engaging in proselytizing and turning their back to the Minister of Education, Marcela Paredes de Vásquez.

'I am here making a call on educators to return to their classrooms," said the President while

affirming that the strike "uses to students as hostages'.

'The strike is unnecessary because the Government has engaged 5 Ministers at the negotiation table, including the Minister of Economy and Finance'said President Varela, justifying the progressive pay increase.

About this proposal, he accused the teachers´ leadership of "not explaining this economic issue in the right way" and stated that during the meeting at the Presidency, the leaders 'did no dare' to tell him that they would propose the strike. "They did not have the courage to do it!” said President Varela in an annoying tone.

'Educators have the right to an increase, but we ask it to be throughout a 2-year span', concluded the President.