Portugal: Teachers hold anti-cuts demo in Lisbon | WPN World People News

Thousands of Portuguese teachers held a protest against the government’s new policies for public schools on 15 June in Lisbon. This demonstration is part of the industrial action plan proposed by all teacher unions against the government’s decision to cut spending in the education sector.

Teachers demonstrating in Lisbon

This cut is being implemented by an increase in the working hours of teachers, laying off educators, and reducing compensation and allowances for dismissed teachers.

Call for strike
EI’s affiliate, Federação Nacional Dos Professores (FENPROF), has called for several days of strike in the final evaluation of students – a move which has had a support of nearly 100 per cent. It has also called for a general strike of all teachers and researchers on 17 June, the first day of secondary school national exams.

Unions united
At the end of the demonstration, FENPROF General-Secretary Mário Nogueira highlighted the fact that Portuguese teachers are united against the Government’s policy and called for a strong support of the national strike on 17 June: "All unions are united in this struggle. Portuguese teachers are going to give an adequate response to the Government inflexibility.”

Being the toughest campaign ever mounted by Portuguese teachers, this has put education at the centre of public debate. This week, unions are going to carry out a survey in all schools to decide on the continuation of this fight.

Source: Education International