PARAMARIBO--Striking teachers on Monday blew off a conciliatory gesture from Government, taking their industrial action into its third week on Tuesday. Alliance for Teachers ALS Chairman Wilgo Valies said that his union’s members do not trust Government to follow through on its promises.
The teachers aligned with ALS and the Union of Teachers BvL went on strike on January 10, demanding that Government finally come through with promises for the revaluation of salary scales. On behalf of his members, Valies is demanding that salaries are raised above the poverty line of SR $3,000. After strikes in October last year, Government at first promised that the revaluation would be implemented as of January 2017. When Government said earlier this month that they would have to hold off until March 2017, it was the straw that broke the camel’s back. The teachers went on strike.
During meetings with the union leaders on Monday Government offered as a precursor to the revaluation, that teachers would receive a general raise of SR $350 to SR $500 extra. The revaluation would then take effect as of March; apparently it is administratively not possible to be carried out immediately. Government also requested four to five weeks’ time to study the other demands from the unions. When Valies convened a general meeting around midday to inform the teachers of this offer, it was rejected, however. The teachers said that they were standing their ground; the revaluation should be implemented with immediate effect. Until it is, schools will remain closed.
Valies explained to journalists after the meeting that teachers have bad experiences with Government not keeping its end of bargains, so they have now reached a point where they want to send clear messages. He said that he had also said this to the Government officials that he met with. “The teachers’ trust is down to a minimum,” said the union leader.
The strike has led to an ugly war of words erupted between Valies and Education Minister Robert Peneux, with both trading nasty personal jabs through local media channels. So far the industrial action has led to a postponement of school exams at secondary schools.
