Mexico news daily Dec.20

Posted by The Generals on December 21, 2012, 8:52 pm
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Subject: Mexico News DAILY December 20, 2012 Mexico Gordillo turns on Peña Nieto Development: On 19 December Elba Esther Gordillo, the president of Mexico’s main teacher’s union, Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores de la Educación (SNTE), came out against the education reform proposal sent down to congress by President Enrique Peña Nieto, warning that the SNTE would not allow the “trampling” of teachers’ rights. Significance: The SNTE is Latin America’s biggest teachers’ union and under Gordillo’s permanent leadership has consolidated its political power. Its opposition to reform could create serious problems for Peña Nieto. Initially, the SNTE said that it was open to discussions about the reform but now that Gordillo’s political outfit, Partido Nueva Alianza (Panal), has failed to secure guarantees for SNTE affiliates in the congressional negotiations, Gordillo is on the war path. Gordillo and the left-wing opposition are not strong enough to derail the proposal in congress but she could cause trouble on the streets for the new government. Key points: • Gordillo’s comments came after the chamber of deputiies' plenary approved the draft reform in its general form. Panal, effectively the SNTE’s political arm, tried but failed to amend the proposal. It was particularly opposed to plans to introduce regular performance evaluations for current teachers, arguing that it would undermine workers’ rights, as enshrined in the Mexican constitution. The seven Panal deputies failed to convince the chamber and the proposal was approved with 424 votes in favour, 39 against and 10 abstentions in the 500-seat chamber. Only 32 reservations were made, which will be examined in more detail. • In a press conference afterwards, Gordillo said that while the SNTE was in favour of improving education quality, it was against the “privatisation of education, whether openly or covertly”. She added that the SNTE would not allow “the slightest affront on teachers’ rights”, warning that reform would be impossible without teachers. “You don’t threaten teachers, you urge them, invite them to improve”, she stated, in clear allusion to the newly proposed performance evaluations. • The opposition Partido de la Revolución Democrática (PRD) has also voiced concerns about the reform proposal leading to the privatisation of the education sector. The Panal and the PRD may now look to ally in congress in an effort to stall the reform.

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