20/07/2026 19:03 - Actualidad
On Monday, July 20, 2026, the school year in the Argentine province of Entre Ríos resumed after the winter recess, but it was marked by a day of protest. Teachers' unions AGMER (Asociación Gremial del Magisterio de Entre Ríos, the main teachers' union in the province) and AMET (Asociación del Magisterio de Enseñanza Técnica, the technical education teachers' association) carried out a 24-hour strike to demand salary improvements. According to the unions, teachers have lost between 14% and 16% of their purchasing power during the first half of the year, a common issue in Argentina due to the country's persistent inflation rates.
Manuel Gómez, the secretary general of AGMER in Paraná (the capital city of Entre Ríos), explained that salary negotiations (known as paritarias in Argentina) with the provincial government did not prosper. The official offer included a 3% increase in July (to be paid in August) and a 4% increase in September (to be paid in October), which the education workers considered insufficient.
Gómez noted that the starting salary for a teacher is currently $850,000 Argentine pesos (approximately equivalent to a few hundred US dollars depending on the fluctuating exchange rate). This figure is well below the local poverty line, which is estimated to exceed $1,500,000 Argentine pesos. Furthermore, the unions rejected the inclusion of non-remunerative sums in the proposal, arguing that such mechanisms do not contribute to retirement pensions and are considered unconstitutional by labor standards.
As part of the protest measures, AGMER organized a leafleting campaign on San Martín pedestrian street, located in front of Plaza 1º de Mayo in the city of Paraná. The goal was to inform the local community about the salary situation in the education sector. According to Gómez, adherence to the strike in the Paraná department was around 85%, and he highlighted the support from local residents, many of whom expressed their backing for the teachers' demands.
On the other hand, the CGE (Consejo General de Educación, the provincial education authority) reported that, at the provincial level, teacher presenteeism was 75% across the 17 departments of Entre Ríos. This allowed the majority of schools to operate normally. The provincial government confirmed that it will pay the offered salary increase by decree, bypassing the union agreement.
The conflict remains open, and the unions announced they will maintain a state of belligerence. For Tuesday, July 21, AGMER is scheduled to resume a camp at Plaza Mansilla in Paraná, which is part of a broader protest regarding the debate on pension system reforms. Subsequently, a provincial congress will be convened to define the continuation of the protest plan and the next union actions.
Sources: Elonce, Uno Entre Ríos, La Voz 90.1.
Alfredo S. Quiroga
