Teachers protest in Brazil
Featured image: Strike of the teachers in Brazil. Source: A Nova Democracia
Throughout the month of May, there has been a mass strike in many of the States of Brazil, including Rio de Janeiro, Federal District, Amazonas, Pernambuco and Romênia. The strikes in all States have the same demands: increased salary and a general improvement of working conditions, such as personnel increase, better infrastructure, payment of overtime, demand the restructuring of the teaching public education and an improvement of the educational system. In the State of Romênia, for example, 40% of young people of 15 have no appropriate knowledge of reading comprehension, mathematics, sciences and social issues. Teachers are also mobilizing not only because of their conditions, but for that of all school workers, including pedagogues, kitchen personnel, administrative personnel … among others. The mobilization of the teachers of some States already began in December 2022, when they began to protest for this conditions.
In the State of Rio de Janeiro, the salary that teachers are receiving is R $ 1,588 for 18 hours per week, being the minimum wage of Brazil is R $ 4,420.55. On May 12, teachers in Rio de Janeiro decided to start an indefinite strike from 17, that same day the federal district professors also decided to continue the strike after the proposals of government measures, which is a situation that is taking place in general. For example, in the Federal District they rejected the salary increase of only 18%, where for three years they will see only 6% increased their salary. In the State of Pernambuco the PSDB government only offered the salary readjustment to those with the minor salary of the stipulated value by 2023, affecting only 6.000 teachers and leaving aside 52.000.
The tracking of the strike is being very high and different actions are being carried out. In Pernambuco, the PA-444 road was cut and the strike was followed by 32 of the 35 schools that exist in the municipality. In Romênia on May 25, a demonstration was held that had 15,000 participants, previously, on May 22 a strike in solidarity was conducted with the teachers of primary and secondary education. In Amazonas on May 29, protests were made in front of the State government buildings, roads were blocked and the fulfillment of the demands of the strike that has been going for 10 days. The strike in Amazonas has been declared illegal by the judicial system and will require fines of R $ 30,000 daily to the Amazonas Educational Workers Union (Sinteam). In total, more than 150 thousand teachers have already been mobilized throughout the country and they may continue in June since there are no agreements with the governments of the country’s States.
