Santa Cruz teachers' union demands tenure competitions

The Unión de Docentes Argentinos (UDA) in Santa Cruz has formally requested the Provincial Council of Education to open tenure competitions for teachers. Union representative Sergio Bastidas reported that approximately 70% of the province's teachers currently do not hold permanent positions.

To address this, the union has requested the Functional Organic Plants (Plantas Orgánicas Funcionales) of educational establishments to identify vacancies and current staffing statuses. Bastidas described the lack of tenure competitions as a ‘historical debt’ to education workers.

The demand comes amid a survey by the Council regarding projected student enrollment for the 2027 school year. The union expressed concern that declining enrollment could lead to the reduction of classroom divisions, potentially threatening the jobs of interim teachers. UDA is seeking labor protection mechanisms to ensure the continuity of these workers within the public education system.