Marquez: Majority of Venezuelan Universities in favor of an indefinite strike

[spanza]

Source: El Universal

Article translated fom the Spanish:

Caracas.-El presidente de la Asociación de Profesores de la UCV, Víctor Márquez, asegura que la mayoría de las universidades está a favor de una paralización indefinida de actividades y recordó que este lunes arranca un nuevo paro de 96 horas.

"According to Marquez, president of the teachers' association of the UCV (biggest state university in Venezuela), a majority of the universities ready for indefinite strike. Strike started yesterday for 96 hours"

Aseguró que el paro de 72 horas convocado la semana pasada, se cumplió entre 90 y 95%, en todo el país.

"Last week's strike was followed by 90-95% of the teachers countrywide"

...............

Declaró que lo que se ha observado es una actitud destructiva por parte del Gobierno hacia el sistema educativo y dijo que la lucha por la contratación colectiva de los profesores universitarios cumplió seis años.

He pointed out "the government's destructive attitude toward the educational system" and declared that "the university teachers' fight for collective contracts has been going on for 6 years"

Explicó que con el aumento de 20% decretado por el Gobierno, un profesor titular quedaría con un sueldo por debajo del mínimo nacional y alegó que el sueldo de un profesor cuando arranca en la universidad apenas alcanza a 2,614 bolívares.

"He explained that even with the 20% raise that the govt decided, a full (titular) professor would still earn a wage under to the minimum legal wage. He stressed that the salary of a starting university teacher equates 2,614 bolivares only"

Read more: http://www.eluniversal.com/nacional-y-politica/130429/marquez-mayoria-de-universidades-esta-a-favor-de-paralizacion-indefini

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Even with the last 20% increase in their salary, university teachers are still under the minimum wage in Venezuela.
A starting teacher earns now 2,614 bolivares, which is around 343 US$/ month at the official exchange rate (6.3 VEB/USD) and 87 US$/ month at the real exchange rate (25VEB/USD).

A lot less (around half) of the wage of a "cadete" (first class soldier in the army). Taking about the model of society wished by this pseudo "left" and their unconditional loudspeakers in this forum.

[David__77]

1. I'm more concerned about primary educators.

Their salary started with a much lower baseline. It has come up more quickly. University instructor real wages have increased considerably over the past decade and a half, but have a long way to go. Hopefully Venezuelans will come together to further develop their country and continue the growth.

[spanza]

8. University instructor real wages have decreased considerably over the past decade and a half in Vzla

But I agree on one point with you: primary educators are a priority in any traditionally unequal developing country

[Bernardo de La Paz]

2. But, but, but, ..., wasn't Chavez supposed to be a socialist pro-union hero?

Or was he a populist anti-intellectual thug when it suited him?

What the heck does "pseudo 'left' " mean in this context?

[graham4anything]

3. What does pseudo left mean? Is this concern about Venezuela or a dig at USA?

I personally think they should get rid of Baseball team owners, and the Government should take over all the Major League Baseball teams.
Teachers should make as much as ballplayers or doctors. Without a teacher, there are zero doctors. Teachers one would say are more important than doctors.

But why take a dig at a soldier? They also deserve as much money as ballplayers.
So do all police and firemen and EMS and sanitation workers. And are just as important as doctors.

Every should be paid the exact same wage.

[spanza]

7. I can't call "left" a government that pays its teachers under the minimum wage.

+1 for baseball players but I wasn't particularly taking a dig at soldiers. I just consider that only in an unfair society a 18 year old first class infantry earns more than a 55 year old teacher on the edge of retirement.

[Bacchus4.0]

4. unbelievable, thanks for the post nt

s

[Peace Patriot]

6. Oh, surely you can come up with more than five words in defense of teachers, Bacchus.

nt

[spanza]

9. Well, five words in defense of workers for the 1st of May is infinitely better than your silence.

In this case, you shouldn't worry. These foreign workers are certainly underpaid, but they aren't taking your job, nor your tax dollars. They are just teachers with a public sector salary that is inferior to the national minimum wage who are asking for the indexation of their salary to the inflation rate and for collective contracts in order to be better protected in their jobs. If that doesn't ring a bell "camarada", nothing will...

[Peace Patriot]

5. "Taking about the model of society wished by this pseudo 'left'...

...and their unconditional loudspeakers in this forum."

Um, needs a translation from the Jabberwocky. What are you talking about?

[DeSwiss]

10. Make it worldwide. - K&R :-/ n/t