Puerto Rico to increase teachers' salaries by $1K a month
ABC News
Puerto Rico’s governor has announced that all public school teachers will receive a temporary $1,000 monthly salary increase starting in July and promised to make it permanent
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- Puerto Rico’s governor announced Monday that all public school teachers will receive a temporary $1,000 monthly salary increase starting in July as he promised to make it permanent.
The move comes just days after 70% of teachers left their classrooms and joined a protest to demand higher wages, better pensions and improved working conditions. Another protest is scheduled for Wednesday.
“For years, we’ve truly been waiting for this moment,” said Víctor Bonilla, president of the Puerto Rico Teachers’ Association, which represents some 25,000 teachers.
The base salary of public school teachers in Puerto Rico is $1,750 a month, a number that hasn’t budged in 13 years. While some teachers praised Monday’s announcement, union leaders noted that they are still seeking a base salary of $3,500 a month.
