This coming week Merida will be affected by four protests organized by civil associations demanding attention to different conflicts from both Federal and State governments.
Monday 26, at 9:00 a.m., retired PEMEX workers blocked the stretch of Calle 60 in front of the U.S. Consulate to demand that Pemex and the Federal Government solve the lack of comprehensive medical attention and supply of medicines established in clause 89 of their Collective Labor Contract.
Servio Rosado Aparicio, leader of the group of retired oil workers, informed that the demand of this group is to obtain the corresponding medical attention to which they are entitled. Apparently, the demonstration will last until Friday, September 30th.
Pemex retirees will continue with their protests
“As sick senior citizens, we have to rest on Saturdays and Sundays to recover our strength”, Rosado Aparicio declared.
However, he warned that they will not give up their demand because medical attention is a human right earned through years of hard work in Pemex, and they will keep demanding the medical service established in the labor contract with the state-owned company.
“Until today, no federal or Pemex authority has spoken to us. We want a dialogue table with them so that we can reach agreements”, Rosado Aparicio said.
“We are going to continue with the protest to put pressure on the state government to request a solution to our demand from the federal government,” he stressed.
Another protest on Monday, in front of the Government Palace.
Also on Monday, September 26th, at 6 p.m., several civil organizations demanding justice for the case of the 43 missing students from Ayotzinapa will hold a sit-in in front of the Government Palace.
They will also hold a commemorative rally there for the 8 years since the disappearance of the Ayotzinapa students and the impunity that prevails in this case.
Teacher Lorena Rosel Novelo stated there will be a roll call of the Ayotzinapa students at the Facultad de Ciencias Antropológicas de la UADY at 6:00 p.m. A demonstration will take place there to remember these unpunished acts.
The event is organized by Frente Independiente de Resistencia Estudiantil and the organization “Efraín Calderón Lara”.
Protest and rally in front of the Government Palace on Thursday, September 29th
Teacher Rosel Novelo, a member of the Coalition of Workers of the State of Yucatan (Coalición de Trabajadores del Estado de Yucatán: Cotrey), also informed that on Thursday, September 29, at 11:00 a.m., the teachers will hold a peaceful manifestation and rally in front of the Government Palace.
These manifestations will be in demand of the payment to state teachers of the salary adjustment decreed by the federal government for low-income teachers.
In addition, education support and assistance personnel (Paes) have not been paid for the re-categorization of their positions.
“Cotrey and Docentes Unidos are calling for a demonstration next Thursday, September 29th, at 11:00 a.m. in front of the Government Palace,” she informed.
Protest over the case of the Isstey
“This protest is due to the case of the Isstey, which no longer gives loans to its affiliates due to lack of resources because it does not pay the raise to state teachers and the recategorization to support workers when federal personnel has already received their respective payments in both cases.”
He recalled that the federal government offered a differentiated increase for the salary leveling of teachers “and although it is a deception because it is the same amount disguised in percentages, there is an inequity because the teachers of the federal system already received the corresponding payment, but the state teachers still do not receive that salary increase.”
“It is an even amount, teachers who earn less than 10 thousand pesos will receive 3%, those who earn 30 thousand will receive 1%, it is the same, and those who earn more than 10 thousand pesos will receive 2%, it is a deception but it is an increase,” Rosel Novelo explained.
Protesters demand pending payment from the State Government.
In addition, he said that the State government has pending payment for assistance personnel on recategorization.
“Federal workers in this category received between 10 thousand and 16 thousand Mexican pesos for this recategorization, and State workers have not received one cent.”
“This non-compliance by the Isstey and the state government causes us alarm because the reforms to the Isstey law are supposed to be for improvement,” he said.
“They are not going to come out now that Isstey has no money, that the private finance company that does business with Isstey is bankrupt. Several times we denounced that finance company that gives loans to Isstey affiliates, but continues to do business with education workers.”
It is becoming common in Merida for protests and manifestations by people demanding attention to their problems to be accompanied by blockades of public roads, with the consequent damage to civil society.
March in Merida by pro-abortion women and groups
On the other hand, associations, collectives, and independent feminist groups are calling for a march called #285 Día de Acción Global for a legal, safe and free abortion. This march will be held on Wednesday, September, 28th, at 6:30 p.m., on Paseo de Montejo.
On Tuesday, September, 27th, at 9:00 a.m., the organizers will hold a press conference at the Monumento a la Madre to give details of this mobilization. Last year more than 200 women participated.
