Guatemalan Teacher Strike (2003)

Over 62,000 public school teachers went on strike for over a month in Guatemala early in 2003, demanding more funding for the woefully-inadequate school system and a salary increase. A resolution was reached in early March under which the government agreed to increase education spending by over $100,000,000 and to a monthly salary increase of about $20. Teachers were joined by students, families, indigenous groups and others backing educational reform. At its height, the strike shut down the country’s main airport and closed most border crossings. The Guatemala Human Rights Commission/USA and NISGUA were active in supporting the teachers and in getting information out to U.S. activists.