The list of demands was submitted on Wednesday, and by law, the Ministry of Education must respond in writing by next Tuesday, Sinprof Secretary General Admar Jinguma told Lusa this Friday.
According to Admar Jinguba, under the Strike Law, the government has 20 days to open a possible negotiation phase, noting that a strike "is always a possibility."
"A strike is always a possibility; whenever workers submit a list of demands, the process begins right there," the union leader stated, expressing openness to direct negotiations to reach a consensus.
In its 11 points, Sinprof demands, among other issues, the allocation of a dedicated budget for schools, using the General State Budget as a source, better working conditions for teachers, as well as a salary adjustment to address disparities with similar professional categories, and the timely distribution of textbooks to primary school students.
Regarding the outstanding items resulting from agreements signed with the Executive, Sinprof's demands include, for example, the holding of an internal entrance exam to level the career ladders of teachers with mismatched career paths.
The payment of vacation pay on a separate payroll, the thirteenth-month salary in a single installment, and the payment of an exam bonus to those holding management and leadership positions are also included in the demands.
Between 2021 and 2023, the parties reached an agreement, following a teachers' strike, with the signing of several agreements, including a memorandum of understanding in 2021, an agreement on teacher promotions and leveling of career ladders in 2022, and the signing of a commitment document in 2023.
"The Ministry of Education has deliberately failed to comply with the agreements. We have called the Ministry of Education's attention to the need to guide our relationship without experiencing the clashes we have experienced recently," said Admar Jinguma.
The Secretary General of Sinprof also emphasized the need for a salary adjustment for teachers given the asymmetries that exist with other similar professional areas, such as the higher education subsystem, doctors, and nurses.
"The asymmetries between teachers' salaries and the salaries of these professional categories in public administration are incomprehensible," he emphasized.
In 2021, teachers staged a multi-phase strike, which ended after reaching an agreement with the Ministry of Education, seeing some of their demands met.
