10 000 people participated in Belo Horizonte in defense of education

About 10 thousand people participated the 24th of August, in Belo Horizonte (MG), in a great act in defense of education. Most of the audience were teachers who are on strike for nearly 80 days. Also participated students, social movements such as Via Campesina and the People’s Assembly, trade unions and urban popular movements. 

Teachers are on strike to demand better working conditions and remuneration. Despite the Federal Law No. 11.738/08 sets the minimum monthly wage for professional national education oorkers on R$ 1,597.87, the paycheck shows that in Minas Gerais the government pays R$ 369.89 for a primary education teacher . 

The motion of support signed by several entities argues “the refusal of the governor of Minas, a former university professor, to negotiate with the striking workers puts in risk that students loose their school year.” 

The event happened in the Legislative Assembly of the State of Minas Gerais, where teachers unanimously decided to continue the strike indefinitely. 

Occupation INCRA continues 

Activists of Via Campesina continue the occupation of INCRA in the state capital. The goal is to foster negotiations in Brasilia. The national coordinators of the movements await a new round of negotiations with the government on Thursday or Friday this week. The door to negociate opened after the movement ocupied the Ministry of Finance yesterday (23). 

In Minas Gerais, MAB urges

• immediate relocation for 1129 families registered in 2010by INCRA-MG;
• survey before October, as agreed in hearings, of areas of land made by the MAB to INCRA;
• continuity of registry of families affected landless by dams in MG
• realization of the agreement between MAB and INCRA of the training of already registeredaffected families;
• and that the action for acquisition of land for people affected by dams is coming from companies and consortia of dams. 

Finally, the MAB requires that INCRA is mediator and protagonist of the negotiations with the companies and consortia, allowing them to save public funds to be used for other purposes of land reform.