The Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation (MECI) received trade unions again today to continue negotiations on the recovery of six years, six months and 23 days of teachers' service time with different counter-proposals on the table.

Upon leaving the meeting, the first trade unions heard by the ministry reported that the Government presented a new proposal, which is close to some of the teachers' demands.

In relation to the initial proposal, in which the government proposed to return the service time at an annual average of 20%, Minister Fernando Alexandre today proposed the return of 25% in the first two years, 20% in 2026 and 15% in 2027 and 2028.

"It is obvious that we still do not agree and we will present a new counter-proposal for the next day", the president of the National Union of Teachers Licensed by Polytechnics and Universities (Spliu) told reporters.

Also speaking on behalf of the Portuguese Federation of Education, Teaching, Culture and Research Professionals (Fepeci), the Independent Union of Teachers and Educators (SIPE) and the National Union of Licensed Teachers (SNPL), Manuel Monteiro added that the unions maintain some red lines, related to the intention of maintaining the access vacancies to the 5th and 7th echelons and of revoking the "accelerator" of career progression.

Regarding the decree-law approved by the previous executive, which allows teachers affected by the two periods of career freeze to recover the time they spent waiting for a vacancy for the 5th and 7th echelons, the president of SIPE added that the Ministry left some guarantees.

"All those colleagues who went to recover service time in the stoppage of the 4th and 6th echelons, that time will not be subtracted from the unfreezing and this is a great, great victory", said Júlia Azevedo.

On the other hand, despite the fact that the return of service time takes effect on September 1st, the minister also guaranteed, according to the president of SIPE, that teachers who only formally meet the requirements a few months later will not be harmed.

In today's meetings, the 12 union organizations presented different counter-proposals, which, in common, accelerate the recovery of service time to between two and four years.

The second meeting, which started shortly after 3:30 pm, is with the Union Association of Licensed Teachers (ASPL), with Pró-Ordem, the Union of Educators and Licensed Teachers (SEPLEU), the Union of Educators and Teachers of Basic Education (Sippeb) and the Union of All Education Professionals (Stop), followed by the National Federation of Teachers (Fenprof) at 5:00 pm and the National Federation of Education (FNE) from 6:30 pm.

The meetings take place while about fifty teachers and union leaders from Stop are concentrated at the door of MECI, who make themselves heard inside the building, shouting slogans.

Read Also: Government and teachers meet again today on service time (Portuguese version)