Non-teaching workers are carrying out a national strike today for better conditions, called by the National Federation of Public and Social Functions Workers Unions (FNSTFPS) which anticipates the closure of most schools.
The strike will be marked by a demonstration in Lisbon, with the meeting scheduled for 2:30 pm next to the Basílica da Estrela, for a march to the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation building, which operates along Avenida 24 de Julho.
Non-teaching workers demand the creation of special careers, salary increases and better working conditions.
On Wednesday, Artur Sequeira, director of the FNSTFPS, anticipated a well-attended strike, which will lead to the closure of the majority of schools, with only a minority remaining open, which will not be able to guarantee the safety of students.
The FNSTFPS also calls for a review of the ratio ordinance that increases the number of workers, arguing that it is necessary to design an ordinance that “is not based on economic principles but on real numbers so that public schools can be of quality”.
The end of precariousness and a reverse in the municipalization process are struggles of the workers, who remember that “at this moment, public schools have a reading of 297 municipalities, in which each one sees the school in their own way”, in addition to the schools being dependent on local authority budgets: “Those that have a lot of money can do some things, but then there are others that they cannot”, he warned.
Following the decentralization process, non-teaching workers began to be hired by local authorities, but the minister of education himself has already defended the need to rethink the situation of these professionals.
In a letter sent to non-teaching staff at the beginning of the academic year, Fernando Alexandre stated that his ministry will begin work with the National Association of Portuguese Municipalities and with union representatives.
