Teachers Lead Strike Over Retirement Age

Despite some progress, the Central Fight Committee, a group of teachers leading a strike in Quintana Roo, has stated that the strike will persist until their demands are met by federal and state authorities. The strike has now expanded to include high school teachers, and it is expected that more institutions will join the work stoppage soon.

Parents were informed of the situation through a notice that stated, "Due to circumstances beyond our control, classes will be suspended in both shifts starting Tuesday, March 18, until further notice." However, the notice also assured that academic and administrative services would continue to operate during regular hours.

Although the Fight Committee representatives have met with Rosa Icela Rodríguez, the federal head of the Ministry of the Interior, and Martí Batres Guadarrama, the federal head of the Institute of Health and Social Services for State Workers, the teachers argue that these meetings are not sufficient. They are demanding that a proposed reform be discarded. The teachers insist that their retirement age should be reconsidered, deeming the proposed increase unacceptable.

Martí Batres has agreed to set up a dialogue table as soon as possible to address these concerns. While high school teachers were initially hesitant to join the strike, especially those from federal educational institutions, the Colleges of Bachelors in Quintana Roo are expected to be the first to join. It is anticipated that other preparatory schools will join the indefinite strike of basic level teachers in the coming days. The teachers claim to have the support of parents, despite concerns about the ongoing suspension of classes.