Mexico City Strike: Oaxaca Teachers Demand Government Action

Oaxaca Teachers' Strike Enters 18th Day in Mexico City Mexico City – The Coordinadora Nacional de Trabajadores de la Educación (CNTE) teachers' strike continues in Mexico City, impacting over 800,000 students in Oaxaca. The strike, now in its third week, is marked by daily protests and a continued stalemate in negotiations with the federal government. The CNTE's main demands are the repeal of the 2007 ISSSTE law and a reversal of education reforms. Union representatives have expressed frustration with the government's responses, stating that they are "vain, simple, and solutionless." One teacher stated, "No vinimos a que nos den largas ni a escuchar lo mismo de siempre. Vinimos a que se atienda el mandato de las bases, y eso no se ha cumplido." (We didn't come to be given the runaround or to hear the same old thing. We came for the mandate of the bases to be met, and that has not happened.) Despite ongoing negotiations, the strike shows no signs of ending soon. The CNTE has announced that its National Representative Assembly will meet to determine the next steps, including the possibility of continuing the dialogue proposed by government officials. The situation highlights the ongoing tension between the teachers' union and the federal government over education policy and workers' rights. The continued disruption to education underscores the serious nature of the conflict. A resolution is urgently needed to ensure that students can return to their classes and the educational system can function without further interruption.