Mexico City Teachers Accept Government Talks Amidst Zócalo Protest

Mexico City: CNTE Teachers Agree to Talks with Government Mexico City – In a significant development in the ongoing conflict between the Mexican government and the CNTE teachers' union, Claudia Sheinbaum, head of government for Mexico City, announced that union leaders have agreed to meet with cabinet members today. The meeting, scheduled for the Secretaría de Gobernación, aims to address the union's demands. "What we know is that they accepted the meeting, that they will be present at the Secretaría de Gobernación today," Sheinbaum stated in a press conference. "There, a plan will be sought, first, dialogue which is very important, and second, some measures that can continue to help teachers to the extent that the public budget allows." The teachers' previous stance, as stated by representatives from Oaxaca, Guerrero, Chiapas, Zacatecas, Michoacán, and Mexico City, was that they would only return to negotiations with a new proposal. The government's invitation, extended formally through the Secretaría de Gobernación, includes representatives from the Secretaría de Educación Pública and Secretaría de Hacienda y Crédito Público, as well as the ISSSTE. The government's proposal involves freezing the retirement age for teachers as outlined in the amended ISSSTE law. This development offers a glimmer of hope for a resolution to the ongoing teacher protests in Mexico City's Zócalo. The commitment to dialogue suggests a potential path forward to address the concerns of the CNTE and find a solution that benefits both the teachers and the government.