Unions call national mobilization for this Thursday, October 29

University workers, educators and health personnel will hold a national mobilization this Thursday, October 29, through assemblies, placards and rallies, according to El Pitazo. The protest seeks to demand that the government respond to the lack of wage agreements and the review of the collective bargaining demands submitted in mid-October.

The protest coincides with the start of the payment schedule for year-end bonuses (aguinaldos) in the public administration, a benefit that unions say has been eroded by the freeze on the minimum wage. According to information published by Contrapunto, the payment of the Corresponsabilidad y Formación bonus for the teaching sector rose in bolívares by more than 7%, specifically 7.77%, amid complaints over the bonus-based income adjustment.

The unions' main demands include the full calculation of year-end bonuses based on total income and the elimination of the Patria System for managing public payrolls. José Gregorio Afonso, president of the Asociación de Profesores de la Universidad Central de Venezuela, said the sector demands the restoration of contractual rights and discussion of salary scales.

For its part, René Zapata, organization secretary of the Federación Venezolana de Maestros in Miranda, warned of continued street actions in the absence of official responses. The territorial days will serve as a prelude to the National Union Meeting scheduled for next Tuesday, November 3.