Public school teachers in Puerto Rico called off a strike Thursday, after the government agreed to increase their base salary, make a new $1,000 a month raise permanent and engage in pension negotiations, Bloomberg News reported. “The commitment they made to us is that they will return to class and leave the streets,” Secretary of State Omar Marrero said after emerging from negotiations with teachers’ groups that have flooded Old San Juan for the last two days. Among the commitments, Governor Pedro Pierluisi agreed to boost teachers’ base salaries from $1,750 to $2,700 a month and build in wage hikes for those who get advanced degrees. On Monday, the government said it would use temporary federal funds to provide a $1,000 a month wage hike to all teachers starting in July. On Thursday, Marrero said that hike will also be made permanent. It’s unclear how the U.S. commonwealth — which is emerging from bankruptcy — will pay for the increases. When asked, Marrero said government payroll is a “top priority” in annual budget negotiations and therefore virtually guaranteed. In November, the federally-appointed board overseeing the island’s finances said the law that increases base salaries had merit but “proposes to spend money the Commonwealth does not have, without corresponding savings or new revenues.” Teachers, firefighters and other public-sector workers began taking to the streets last week demanding higher wages amid soaring consumer prices in the U.S. and the Caribbean island of 3.3 million people.
