### Primary Article: BC Teachers Deprived of Housing Credit for 12 Years
For the past 12 years, teachers and educational employees in Baja California have been without access to housing credits, as pointed out by Héctor Miguel Lara Ochoa, the Secretary General of the State Union of Educational Workers (SETEBC). This affects 18,600 educators and staff who were stripped of their housing benefits by the Institute of Security and Social Services for Government and Municipal Workers of Baja California (Issstecali).
Lara Ochoa highlighted that before 2012, teachers and other staff could secure credits to buy homes or land and even to renovate their existing properties. Unfortunately, this is no longer the case, leading to significant challenges, especially for those with lower incomes such as janitors, secretaries, and assistants, who find it nearly impossible to qualify for bank loans.
“The housing credit program exists, but we cannot access it. It’s been over 12 years since a housing loan was offered. We can’t purchase, and we can’t obtain credits from institutions like Infonavit or Fovisste; it has to be through Issstecali,” elaborated Lara Ochoa. The Secretary General added that Issstecali still collects fees and income yet has failed to issue the promised housing credits or other loans, such as summer loans.
Currently, only teachers from Section 2 of the National Union of Education Workers (SNTE), who are federally employed, have access to credits through Fovissste. To cope, many educators are forced to resort to private savings and loan programs. Lara Ochoa also pointed out that there seems to be no financial deficit to justify the unavailability of loans, suggesting mismanagement within Issstecali.
As a further grievance, Lara Ochoa mentioned that Issstecali has not expanded its services with new clinics or improved them with new ambulances or better-equipped hospitals.
### Secondary Article: Protests in Tijuana Over Shorter Working Hours
Recent marches in Tijuana have seen workers demanding a reduction in working hours. These demonstrations included employees from various sectors pushing for better work-life balance and fairer labor conditions.
In related news, the construction industry is bracing itself for a potential reduction in working hours, which could significantly impact the sector. The industry is evaluating the implications on productivity and financial viability.
Meanwhile, the robotics industry is witnessing a reduction in robot prices, which is consequently affecting employment in the maquiladora sector. Employers are not opposing wage increases but are urging a more thorough analysis before implementing such measures.
In other local news, employees of ICON are still awaiting resolutions regarding their severance payments, leading to a sit-in at the company’s premises. Additionally, the forensic cemetery in Tijuana is set to commence operations on October 3, with 1,200 crypts ready for unclaimed bodies. Furthermore, platform drivers in Tijuana are reinforcing preventive measures due to growing insecurity, avoiding operations during late-night hours and in known dangerous areas.
For more updates and in-depth coverage, stay tuned to TJGringo.com.