Teacher strike continues

Members of two teacher unions extended their demonstrations Monday over the Baja California’s failure to pay November’s benefits to retired teachers.

Local 37 of the National Education Workers Union Secretary General María Luisa Gutiérrez said classes are suspended and teachers will continue the blockade of the state Public Utilities Commission facilities statewide.

She also said the state made a commitment to pay teachers their Christmas bonus on Friday.

Gutiérrez said the protests are expected to continue Tuesday, pending the state’s actions.

State Education Teacher Union Secretary General Victor Fernando García said members of the bargaining unit will protest at the state buildings and the tax collector’s office to demand pension payments to retired colleagues, the disbursement of teacher fees and payment of interim teacher salaries.

Secretary of Education Miguel Angel Mendoza called upon teachers to avoid interrupting classes for more than 200,000 students at 959 schools — a third of the state’s total.

He said salaries of active teachers, more than 12,000 total, have been paid on time, as well as their benefits and bonuses. Although the secretary admitted the validity of teachers’ demands, education must be the priority, he said.

According to the secretary, the payment issue is not exclusive to Baja California, as other states have faced funding shortfalls related to the national government’s failure to disburse resources.