The protest has been held by around thirty people in the cities of Quito and Guayaquil since May 3, awaiting the ruling of the Constitutional Court on the President’s veto on the LOEI, which covers salary adjustments for teachers in the public education system.
In statements to Prensa Latina, a representative of the canton of La Maná in the province of Cotopaxi indicated that the teachers’ struggle was worthy and therefore joined the action since last Thursday.
“We hope that the court can analyze the arguments put forward in the public hearing, because what was put forward by the teachers did not support the reasons for the discontinuation of salary compensation from the government,” he stressed.
Likewise, the neighborhood leader expressed hope that the struggle taken on by the teachers at the national level will end successfully.
As the days went by, some of the protesters inside the tents required medical attention as the lack of food affected their health, while others had to leave the action.
However, it is intended to continue until there is a positive declaration for the application of the reforms to the LOEI, approved by the majority of the plenary session of the National Assembly at the end of March and vetoed by President Guillermo Lasso, while Ecuador recalls Teacher’s Day, April 13th.
However, the deadline for the Constitutional Court’s decision is May 23, taking into account the results of last Thursday’s public hearing, a session in which the judges received representatives of 13 organizations that presented amicus curiae for the salary increase for the teaching profession.
Initially there were 20 presentations, but the authority allowed only the 13 corresponding groups and rejected the personal ones, which aroused criticism.
“We are observing the behavior of the court, which did not allow the 20 amicus curiae to participate and said that they were only the 13 of the social organizations, which limits the debate,” Rosana Vázquez, vice-president of the National Union of Educators (UNE), assured its members lead the hunger strike.
In this regard, he added that from the teachers’ experience, the greater the participation, the more knowledge is generated.
However, according to the strikers, what happened at the hearing meant that the government was unable to document its arguments for refusing to apply the reforms to the LOEI.
Those who support the teachers’ request agree that the executive lacks the political will to comply with the request, which is duly justified by the funding sources of the UNE and the unicameral parliament.
“We provide studies, economic and financial elements that validate the means necessary for salary compensation,” stressed Vázquez.
On this point, he added that those who risk their health, on behalf of all teachers of public education in Ecuador, expect the Court to act independently, culminating in a declaration in favor of the quality of teaching and education.
In connection with the UNE hunger strike, which has been joined by parents of students, directors of social and neighborhood organizations, protests and demonstrations, roadblocks and symbolic acts such as tying teachers to poles to demand one achievement are taking place in various cities workers in the Ecuadorian public sector have already received.
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