Education workers' union announces a turtle plan and a national strike in Colombia: these are the reasons

Security guards, general services staff, secretaries, librarians, and other public education workers in Colombia have called for a national strike starting July 14, 2025.

This was announced by Sintrenal, the union of education employees and workers, through Resolution 009 of 2025. According to this document, the call is due to alleged breaches of labor agreements by the Ministry of Education.

They also warn that they will declare a permanent assembly starting July 1, 2025, implement a snail's pace plan, and intermittently suspend service and attention to the educational community in general.

If they do not receive a response from the National Government or a substantive solution to their demands, the Sintrenal union announced that it will call an indefinite national strike starting July 14.

The event will include a complete suspension of school services and assistance to the educational community, as well as demonstrations at the Ministry of Education in Bogotá and at governorships, mayoral offices, secretariats, and public educational institutions in different regions.

Their demands include compliance with labor agreements, the application of Council of State Concept 2535, and the payment of accumulated labor debts.

It is estimated that more than 7,000 schools across the country will close due to this strike.

The Ministry of Education has yet to comment on the agreements and the announcements made by the workers' union.

The agreements Sintrenal refers to were signed on May 30 with the Ministry of Education to resolve the non-payment of debts for "salary standardization and equalization," outstanding for more than ten years.

At that time, the Ministry of National Education committed to urgently submitting a consultation to the Consultation and Civil Service Chamber of the Council of State to determine the expiration of retroactive pay for salary equalization for administrative staff in preschool, elementary, and secondary education. The measure, spearheaded by then-Minister Aurora Vergara Figueroa, is part of the agreements.

In this regard, the Council of State issued Concept 2535, which endorses the certification and immediate payment of labor debts.

"@SintrenalN demands that @Mineducacion comply with labor agreements, such as the payment of debts, compliance with Council of State concept 2535, and payment for areas that are difficult to access for education administrative staff," Sintrenal wrote on social media a few days ago.

Among the agreements reached last year are:

1. The Ministry of National Education will urgently submit a request to the Consultation and Civil Service Chamber of the Council of State, headed by the then Minister of Education, Aurora Vergara, to clarify the time limit for the retroactive payment for the modification of the accreditation of administrative staff in preschool, primary, and secondary education. The Ministry of National Education will submit this request to the Legal Secretariat of the Presidency for the necessary processing no later than June 6 of this year, following consultation with the union that signed this agreement.

2. While the Council of State's Consultation and Civil Service Chamber responds, the Ministry of National Education, headed by the Strengthening Directorate, will continue to verify the debts submitted by the Certified Territorial Entities of Córdoba, Neiva, and Montería, which are making greater progress in their liquidation process.

3. The Ministry of National Education undertakes to urgently request the ETCs to notify them of any outstanding claims or debts for modifications to the certification of administrative staff in preschool, primary, and secondary education. Following the response from the Territorial Entity, the Ministry of Education will deliver the standard settlement form to the respective entities.

4. Both parties agree to abide by the provisions of the Consultation and Civil Service Chamber of the Council of State regarding the statute of limitations on the debt, and the Ministry of Education undertakes to comply as quickly as possible.

5. Upon receipt of the opinion of the Consultation and Civil Service Chamber of the Council of State, the Ministry of National Education undertakes to certify the debts acknowledged by the Certified Territorial Entities and to establish a payment plan to settle outstanding labor commitments with the administrative staff, in coordination with the union that signed the agreement.