Schools were back to normal today after a nationwide sickout by the BNTU yesterday. As we told you, the teachers staged the sickout after they rejected GOB's proposal of a gradual salary raise and the unfreezing of increments.
It's stage two of the BNTU's plan, which will next move to a two day shutdown. And the PM lashed out against them yesterday for - as he put it - "using the children as hostages." He told the media that they can shut down the schools if they want, because there's not much else GOB can do - but that they should consider the students.
John Briceno, Prime Minister:
"It's unfortunate that they're using the children as hostages and they can continue to do so but we can't give what we don't have."
"I think what bothers me is that these leaders, when they're in the room, they're very supportive of what is proposed to them and they felt it is something that the membership will accept. But when they leave the room, I don't know what happens after that, and again, we can't give what we don't have and so if they're going to close the schools them ni modos, they have to close the schools because we cannot do more."
"That's for them to look at the mirror and let their conscience be their guides and if they want to continue the sickouts, what can I do?"
Reporter:
"You must be considering the children and it's exam time as well, graduation "
John Briceno, Prime Minister:
"I think they should consider it, they are the teachers, we are paying them the taxpayers' monies and then for them to use the children as hostages, that's on them."
