SAN DIEGO (Border Report) — School teachers throughout Baja California are threatening to sit out the start of the upcoming school year unless they get a pay raise and back wages.
The union representing 18,000 teachers in Baja says the state has been negligent in paying out fair compensation to its members.
“We will not show up for the start of classes, we want parents to understand that the only way to be heard is to show the government our dissatisfaction with the process,” said Héctor Miguel Lara Ochoa, secretary general of the education state workers union.
The Baja California government said earlier this week it is prepared to pay out 198 million pesos, or about $11 million, to the teachers by Aug. 15.
Lara Ochoa said the money was due weeks ago for summer and performance bonuses.
He said they are still waiting for the promised pay raise for teachers to go into effect.
“They were supposed to have done this already, we’re still waiting on retroactive pay along with the pay raise,” he said.
Teachers had negotiated an 11% increase in pay and other compensation, according to the union.
“The other day the governor said they would look for ways to pay us, we don’t want them looking for ways, we want to get paid,” Lara Ochoa said. “Teachers are upset and frustrated, the pay raises and other incentives were agreed upon back in May, some retroactive pay has been due since January.”
He said many retired teachers are also owed money by the state.
“Around 25 million pesos ($1.4 million) have yet to be paid out, this is money owed from five years ago, it’s debt that has been ignored.”
The school year in Baja California is scheduled to begin Aug. 26.
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