Under pressure, Richa grants pay raise to teachers.

Esmael's Blog - After facing two demonstrations by teachers and school staff in the interior of Paraná — Apucarana and Cambará, in the North and North Pioneer regions, respectively — Governor Beto Richa (PSDB) loosened his grip this Friday (20) a week after defaulting on payments to the category.

Under pressure from protests and fearing a teachers' strike, the governor today ordered the payment of 0,6% retroactive to May in the next payroll, and the remaining back pay claimed by teachers in October. This information comes from a "source" of the blog, comfortably seated in an armchair at the Iguaçu Palace, the seat of the state government.

"Education is an absolute priority in Paraná. I determined earlier today that commitments made to teachers will be honored in the next payment," Richa tweeted.

Last Friday (13), this blogger first reported that Richa and his deputy Flávio Arns (PSDB), Secretary of Education, had defaulted on R$ 50 million owed to Paraná teachers. The promise, made on August 30, was to pay the arrears that day. It remained just a promise.

The total amount of the PSDB's (Brazilian Social Democracy Party) default is the result of a survey conducted by [unclear - possibly a government agency], and includes debts related to promotions, advancements, differences in the National Professional Salary Floor (PSPN), and the new classification of the Basic Education Staff Framework (QFEB).

Will the governor finally keep his promise this time? And won't the other categories of public servants want the same treatment afforded to educators?

For better or worse, next Saturday (28) teachers and staff from the 2,1 schools in the state’s public network will meet in assembly to define the strike agenda. Whether or not they will give Governor Beto Richa another vote of confidence.