AN OPEN LETTER TO SOCIETY
After seven years, we are back on strike!
Degrees at the federal universities are pursued for the students who want free, public, and high-quality education, research and extension programs. In order to provide this, it is necessary that universities offer top-quality infrastructure, which includes classrooms with the optimal number of students, well-selected and prepared professors, up-to-date libraries and labs, decent dining services, dormitory for out-of-town students, access to the Internet, research and extension groups and enough offer of undergraduate and graduate courses.
The Brazilian Government has bragged about the increase in the number of graduate students in federal schools. What the Government does not tell you, however, is that many students do not have classes due to the insufficient number of professors. When they eventually do, they have to cram into crowded classrooms, not getting the required attention by overloaded professors. This situation has taken many of these professors to retirement. The Government does not tell you that many students have no classes up to mid-term period or even during the whole term, a situation that forces them to reschedule their lives. Instead of opening for tenured professors, the Government hires temporary staff and overloads them with classes in different institutes. Libraries are lacking books, labs are lacking maintenance, there are no decent places for the professors to work: that is the sheer truth.
Last year, the Government settled an agreement with the national syndicate, ANDES. It was promised then that the many payment add-ons that are not part of the salary would be summed up and made part of it. Also, it was settled a raise index of 4%, the assignment of a commission to study the career, and some improvements in the working conditions. But the Government did not honor the promise. Part of what had been settled was put into a Presidential Law with no real benefit for the professors.
Professors, students and the Brazilian society have been continuously deceived. Not by the strike, into which we, professors, have been forced to go. But by the lack of dialogue from the Government. Our resistance has been keeping the public university functional. Otherwise, it would have already been slaved by the agenda of the powerful financial groups. We want:
• a consolidated career plan, with all the payment add-on put together into the salary;
• a minimal wage level referred by the DIEESE reference salary;
• fair working conditions.
How much do the social and the technological improvements that a good university produces for a country cost? They are invaluable. Improving education necessarily involves investment on it. Only compromised professors can guarantee the best professionals for a country and its development. The Government humiliates the professors at federal universities with salaries it pays now and with the poor working conditions it provides. It underqualifies our work for the Brazilian society.
As the last resource, the strike is a legitimate instrument to pressure the Government in a necessary and fair struggle. We want to keep up the hard work of graduating excellent professionals, of producing knowledge and technology, and of responding to the social demands. Brazilian universities should be treated taking into account the importance they do have.
Our rights belong in the paper. Our gains belong in our hands.
Local Committee for the Strike at Federal University of Amazonas, Brazil (translation by @sergiofreire)
After seven years, we are back on strike!
The Brazilian Government has bragged about the increase in the number of graduate students in federal schools. What the Government does not tell you, however, is that many students do not have classes due to the insufficient number of professors. When they eventually do, they have to cram into crowded classrooms, not getting the required attention by overloaded professors. This situation has taken many of these professors to retirement. The Government does not tell you that many students have no classes up to mid-term period or even during the whole term, a situation that forces them to reschedule their lives. Instead of opening for tenured professors, the Government hires temporary staff and overloads them with classes in different institutes. Libraries are lacking books, labs are lacking maintenance, there are no decent places for the professors to work: that is the sheer truth.
Last year, the Government settled an agreement with the national syndicate, ANDES. It was promised then that the many payment add-ons that are not part of the salary would be summed up and made part of it. Also, it was settled a raise index of 4%, the assignment of a commission to study the career, and some improvements in the working conditions. But the Government did not honor the promise. Part of what had been settled was put into a Presidential Law with no real benefit for the professors.
Professors, students and the Brazilian society have been continuously deceived. Not by the strike, into which we, professors, have been forced to go. But by the lack of dialogue from the Government. Our resistance has been keeping the public university functional. Otherwise, it would have already been slaved by the agenda of the powerful financial groups. We want:
• a consolidated career plan, with all the payment add-on put together into the salary;
• a minimal wage level referred by the DIEESE reference salary;
• fair working conditions.
How much do the social and the technological improvements that a good university produces for a country cost? They are invaluable. Improving education necessarily involves investment on it. Only compromised professors can guarantee the best professionals for a country and its development. The Government humiliates the professors at federal universities with salaries it pays now and with the poor working conditions it provides. It underqualifies our work for the Brazilian society.
As the last resource, the strike is a legitimate instrument to pressure the Government in a necessary and fair struggle. We want to keep up the hard work of graduating excellent professionals, of producing knowledge and technology, and of responding to the social demands. Brazilian universities should be treated taking into account the importance they do have.
Our rights belong in the paper. Our gains belong in our hands.
Local Committee for the Strike at Federal University of Amazonas, Brazil (translation by @sergiofreire)
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