Paraguay teacher unions split over 5% salary agreement

Paraguayan teacher unions are divided following a partial agreement with the government regarding salary increases. Six unions, including the Federación de Educadores del Paraguay (FEP), the Asociación Paraguaya de Educadores (APE), the Agremiación de Docentes del Paraguay (ADP), Educadores Agremiados (EA), the Asociación de Educadores de la República (ADER), and the Agremiación de Docentes y Funcionarios de la Educación Paraguaya (ADOFEP), have accepted a 5% total wage increase proposal.

The government's plan involves a staggered implementation: a 3.4% increase in January and a 1.6% increase in July. This agreement has led these groups to suspend their planned strike actions.

However, four other unions have rejected the offer, maintaining their demand for an 8% increase. These organizations—the Organización de Trabajadores de la Educación Sindicato Nacional (OTEP-SN), Organización de Trabajadores de la Educación Auténtica (OTEP-A), Unión Nacional de Educadores (UNE), and Movimiento de Acción Sindical del Magisterio Paraguayo – Sindicato Nacional (MAS-MP-SN)—have confirmed a national strike for September 17 and 18. They have also warned that the protest could extend to September 22 and 23 if no alternative is presented.