The National Congress of the Confederación Nacional de Docentes Universitarios LÃnea Histórica (CONADUH) announced on April 2 that university and pre-university teachers across Argentina will hold two more weeks of strikes this month. The decision was made during a congress session attended by representatives from 26 base associations, including the Asociación de Docentes de la Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia San Juan Bosco.
The announcement comes as tensions between educators and the national government have intensified. The main issues at stake are the defense of public universities and demands for improved salaries. “El compromiso activo y la disposición de la docencia universitaria y preuniversitaria en todo el paÃs es sostener y profundizar el plan de acción para defender la universidad pública y nuestros salarios,” said CONADUH in a statement.
During the congress, participants discussed recent developments, including a judicial victory where a federal court upheld an injunction requiring urgent compliance with the University Financing Law. This includes payment of debts owed to teaching and non-teaching staff, immediate negotiations on wages, and updates to student scholarships. “Este fallo constituye un respaldo a la lucha sostenida por nuestra Federación y desnuda la ilegalidad del accionar del gobierno que incumple tanto la voluntad del Congreso de la Nación como las resoluciones del Poder Judicial,” said CONADUH.
In response to these events, local associations reported high levels of union activity over recent weeks through strikes, public classes, demonstrations, leaflet campaigns, and other actions aimed at raising awareness about their demands.
As next steps, CONADUH resolved to demand immediate compliance with the court ruling mandating enforcement of university funding laws. They also called for nationwide strikes during the weeks of April 13-18 and April 27-May 2. Additional activities such as public classes, symbolic embraces around universities, vigils, leaflet distributions, inter-faculty events across Argentina are planned. The organization is also pushing for a Federal University March later in April involving broad participation from all sectors of the educational community.
