Argentine teachers out on national strike

The Confederation of Education Workers of Argentina (CTERA) this Thursday leads a national strike to repudiate the recent aggressive incidents against several teachers in Chubut province.

With classrooms closed and students missing lessons throughout the national territory, teachers will take to the streets to demonstrate after the attacks on several of their Chubutian colleagues, who were forcibly removed by oil sector workers during a road block to demand payment of overdue wages.

From 10:00 local time, hundreds of educators wearing their traditional white smocks will occupy the emblematic 9 de Julio Avenue in the capital to march to the headquarters of the Chubut provincial house and from there to the Ministry of Economy, where they will demand that the Macri government provide an urgent resolution of the conflict and the call for salary negotiations.

Yesterday, at a press conference, CTERA General Secretary Sonia Alesso described the events in Chubut as very serious, in which five educators were injured by blows from security forces.

Argentine teachers blamed the Minister of Education Alejandro Finocchiaro for the incident and for 'failing to comply with the call to collective bargaining and the educational financing law,' they affirm.

In addition to this mobilization, teachers belonging to the CTERA announced yesterday that they will be out on strike on September 11, Teacher's Day, to demand the executive declare a food emergency for children since 'you cannot learn when you are hungry.'

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