Baja teachers continue ‘partial strike’

SAN DIEGO ( Border Report ) — Teachers in Baja California are into their second week of a partial strike at public schools throughout the state.

Some parents say their children have yet to meet their teachers and have one formal class session.

The current school year began Aug. 26.

The teachers’ union has been at odds with Baja officials over back wages and bonuses owed to its membership.

Teachers say they are also waiting for a pay raise to go into effect even though it was agreed to earlier this year.

“We have not conducted the work stoppage at all schools, we are targeting about 45 percent of the schools,” said Marco Antonio Pacheco Peña, head of the teachers’ union. “We are still waiting for payment, all they do is make promises.”

Pacheco Peña stated teachers were promised an 11 percent pay raise with retroactive payments due before Aug. 30.

“The governor herself made us that promise, we did get partial retroactive money, but the pay increase has yet to show up in our paychecks.”

The teachers union is threatening a total strike if their money is not received by Sept. 15.

“We’re still waiting for payroll to be satisfied according to compensation owed to teachers, this work stoppage is in the hands of the governor and those in the education department,” said Pacheco Peña.

According to the union, there are about 320,000 K-9 students at public schools in Tijuana alone.

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