**Teachers Continue Strike, Accuse Government of Incomplete Payments**
The partial labor strike by education workers has entered its second week, leaving many students in Baja California without classes. Despite some returns to classrooms, a significant portion of the schools remain closed due to unresolved payment issues for temporary teachers.
Various unions, including the State Union of Education Workers (SETE) and the National Coordinator of Education Workers (CNTE), have vowed to maintain the strike until all outstanding payments are addressed. According to Marco Antonio Pacheco Peña, CNTE coordinator, only around 45% of the schools have resumed operations, primarily due to unmet financial commitments from the state government.
Teachers are also demanding an 11% salary increase along with retroactive payment that was promised by Governor Marina del Pilar Ávila Olmeda to be settled by August 30th. However, discrepancies remain in paychecks as teachers only received a portion of the retroactive payment and none of the promised salary increase, noted María Virginia Pimentel Muñoz, SETE coordinator.
The protests have also highlighted other issues, such as the lack of janitorial staff, as evidenced by parents closing the doors of telesecundaria 118 for the second time. Despite assurances from the state’s Secretary of Education that 93% of schools had resumed classes, on-ground reports indicate substantial disruptions remain.
Members of the CNTE democratic committee, including Lydia Guillén Ceceña and Elias Díaz Preciado, emphasize that payments due to interim teachers for May through July are still pending. This situation has led to calls for immediate action by state authorities to resolve these financial irregularities.
The ongoing strike underscores systemic challenges within the education sector and the critical need for timely addressing of teachers’ financial entitlements to ensure the resumption of consistent educational services across Baja California.
**Additional News on the Topic**
**Teachers’ Union Negotiations Stall Over Back Pay Demands**
In related developments, negotiations between the teachers’ unions and state officials have hit a stalemate as the unions insist on receiving full back pay for their members. Continued delays in reconciling these payments have exacerbated tensions, resulting in extended school closures and increased frustration among parents and students.
Some parents have taken to social media to organize and voice their grievances, putting additional pressure on the state government. Meanwhile, educational administrators are exploring contingency plans to minimize disruption, although no concrete solutions have been implemented yet.
As the strike persists, concerns grow over the long-term impact on students’ educational progress, highlighting the urgency for a swift and fair resolution to the ongoing financial disputes.