SEP cancels negotiation with CNTE teachers' union; teachers plan protest

The Secretariat of Public Education (SEP) in Mexico has canceled a scheduled negotiation meeting with Section 9 of the National Union of Education Workers (CNTE). The union, led by Pedro Hernández, announced the cancellation via social media, stating that the reasons for suspending the June 12 meeting were not provided.

In response, Section 9 has called its members and supporters to gather at Paseo de la Reforma to determine their next steps. This cancellation occurs amidst a national strike initiated by the CNTE on June 1, and follows several rounds of negotiations with federal authorities that have failed to resolve the conflict.

Key demands from Section 9 and other dissident teachers include the repeal of the 2007 ISSSTE law, the reinstatement of a solidarity pension system without individual accounts (Afores), the elimination of individual accounts, and improvements in salaries and working conditions. The CNTE leadership asserts that the federal government's proposals do not address their core demand regarding pensions, leading them to maintain their protest camp in the Historic Center and continue various mobilizations across the capital.

Teachers have recently staged blockades on strategic routes in Mexico City, including Paseo de la Reforma, through marches, intermittent closures, and gatherings to pressure the federal government. Pedro Hernández mentioned that the SEP secretary had proposed a meeting to discuss local issues, such as backlogs in permanent positions and benefit harmonization, distinct from the national demands concerning pension laws.

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They just canceled us. I am now informing my colleagues, from here we were going to move to Avenida Universidad 1200. The secretary of education had proposed receiving us in Mexico City to address local issues. These are not the national issues of repealing the ISSSTE law and the education reform, but we have a very large backlog with permanent positions, with benefit harmonization.