Inbal students join teachers’ protests over lack of payments

Mexico City. Students from the National Institute of Fine Arts and Literature (INBAL) joined the protests of their teachers to denounce the lack of payment of their salaries and the lack of definition regarding the continuity of their employment contracts.

In this context, the authorities reported that the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit (SHCP) has already authorized the pending payments of those who work on a temporary basis in schools.

From early Tuesday morning, students gathered around the National Arts Centre (Cenar) and held hands to form a human chain. From there they launched their main demand: “The Treasury does not pay, the Treasury does not pay! The Treasury does not pay, the Treasury does not pay!”

Signs with various slogans were placed on the chest: “No to the precariousness of artistic teaching”, “Living without expressing is not living”, “Disrespect for the artist begins when they are asked to give away their work”, “Creating art is a dignified profession”, “Without art there is no nation”.

For several days, 700 interim teaching or research workers at INBAL have been on an active and indefinite strike because they stopped receiving their salary since the 17th fortnight, which runs from September 1 to 15.

Another cause for dissatisfaction is that on September 13, Inbal reported that, due to provisions of the Ministry of Finance, it was unable to automatically continue the interim positions that expired in the 16th fortnight of this year.

For these reasons, a strike is ongoing in at least three centers of this agency, including the National School of Theatrical Arts and the Mexican Dance Academy.

A few days ago, members of the four unions that make up the Union of Unions of the National Institute of Fine Arts and Literature (Usinbal) held a meeting with Inbal executives. There, the authorities promised to make the payment of the outstanding fortnightly payments; however, they did not comply, which rekindled the protests.

This Tuesday, students joined their teachers’ protest to demand that authorities resume payments and clarify the employment situation of their teachers. They have even warned that they are already considering going to the transition house of President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo to discuss their situation.

In response to the protests, the National Institute of Fine Arts and Literature (INBAL) reported that the delay in the fortnight was due to “a new process for authorizing resources that became necessary in response to a new circular from the Ministry of Finance.”

“We regret this incident and the payment will soon be made to the few people who are yet to receive it.”

Authorities reported that the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit (SHCP) has already authorized the pending payments of those who work as temporary workers in schools. However, the official statement does not mention the continuity of their employment contracts.