National teacher strike: the march to Congress concentrates at 11:30 and paralyzes five million students

On Monday, March 2nd, teachers’ unions organized a nationwide protest with a gathering point at 11:30 a.m. at the Cabildo, Avenida de Mayo, and Bolívar, before marching to Congress. This day of strike in the education sector left classrooms empty across the country and disrupted the start of the 2026 school year, with approximately five million students out of class due to the action called by the Confederation of Education Workers (Ctera).

The decision to halt activities was made at the organization’s Ordinary and Extraordinary Congresses on February 20th, marking the first major teachers’ mobilization in six years in Buenos Aires Province since Kicillof took office. Both public and private schools joined the strike, demonstrating union unity against the national government’s education policies.

Gathering Point: How the Mobilization Started at 11:30

Starting at 11:30 a.m., teachers from all over the region began gathering at the Cabildo to start the march toward Congress. The Ctera delegation arrived at noon, led by Sonia Alesso, the organization’s General Secretary, who stated, “We are at a very, very complex start to the year.” This strategic gathering time aimed to highlight the strike during the early afternoon hours, ensuring media coverage and greater political impact.

The protest extended nationwide, from La Quiaca to Tierra del Fuego, according to reports from the Confederation on its social media. The geographical breadth of the protest underscored the national scope of the conflict between the education sector and the implemented policies.

Unified Demands of the Unions: Salaries, FONID, and Education Budget

Teachers’ organizations presented a list of demands covering various aspects of education and labor policies. The main focus was on the immediate call for national teachers’ negotiations to agree on salary increases that outpace inflation and restore the purchasing power of education workers.

Additionally, unions demanded the reinstatement of FONID (National Incentive Fund for Teachers) and other national education funds, which they claim were cut by the Milei government. Among the demands were urgent increases in the education budget and the approval of a new Education Financing Law to ensure stability and expansion of the public education system.

María Laura Torre, deputy general secretary of Suteba, summarized the protesters’ sentiment by saying, “Once again in the streets, in a national strike from La Quiaca to Tierra del Fuego. Across the country, we denounce the lack of funding for Education and demand the return of FONID.” This statement reflected the frustration accumulated after a full year of actions, mobilizations, and strikes without satisfactory results.

Position of Allied Organizations: Defense of Rights and Rejection of Regressive Reforms

The Argentine Private Teachers’ Union issued a statement aligned with Ctera’s demands, emphasizing that “Argentine democracy is upheld on three inalienable pillars: Memory, Truth, and Justice.” From this perspective, they expressed rejection of both the Labor Modernization project and the educational reform initiatives promoted by the national government, considering them a serious backward step in labor, educational, and social rights.

Hugo Yasky, secretary general of the CTA, used his X profile to support the teachers’ mobilization and directly criticize the President, amplifying the message of resistance from education workers across the entire labor central.

National Impact: How the Strike Affected the 2026 School Year

The strike led to the postponement of the school year in 15 provinces, including Buenos Aires. Classes were delayed by one day to Tuesday, March 3rd, raising questions about the stability of the school calendar. Ctera did not specify if the strike would extend beyond that day, allowing for the expectation that educational activities would resume the following day in most of the country.

In Buenos Aires Province, where the Teachers’ Unity Front shut down classrooms, the impact was significant: five million students experienced a delayed start to classes. It was the first mass strike at the beginning of the school year in that jurisdiction in six years.

Main Demands of Ctera: Toward a Comprehensive Educational Agenda

The teachers’ union’s petition also included rejection of the Education Freedom Law and any initiative that commercializes education, viewing them as policies undermining the foundations of the public education system. They also demanded decent working conditions, including adequate school infrastructure, connectivity, and access to sufficient educational resources.

Other demands included job stability, defense of teachers’ pension schemes, and rejection of regressive labor reforms and austerity policies that directly impact public education. The unions also expressed solidarity with teachers from AMP La Rioja and all union organizations fighting for fair wages and working conditions.

The unions presented the strike as the beginning of a continued action plan that would include caravans, tents, and mobilizations across the country, signaling that the fight for public education and teachers’ rights would extend beyond this initial day.