Thousands of teachers march in Lisbon over pay, careers

LISBON, May 16 - Thousands of teachers marched through central Lisbon on Saturday to protest against the centre-right government, demanding higher pay, faster career progression and better working conditions.

The protest was organised by the FENPROF teachers' union, which accused the government of ignoring concerns over low wages, stalled careers and heavy workloads. The union said thousands took part; police gave no immediate estimate.

In May 2024, the government agreed with unions to gradually restore more than six years and six months of career service frozen after Portugal's 2011 bailout. The deal allowed more than 100,000 public school teachers to move up the pay scale, raising monthly salaries by several hundred euros, but without back pay.

Many teachers say the measures fall short. Public school teachers on the lowest pay scale earn about 1,714 euros a month before tax, placing Portugal among the lower-paying OECD countries at entry level.

"I lost 60,000 euros that I will never recover. They are giving us back just a few crumbs, and we're supposed to be happy with that? No. We need to be properly valued," geology teacher Catarina Pinheiro, 47, said at the protest.

Over a full career, teachers' salaries can be 15%–25% below the OECD average. While top pay reaches about 3,700 euros a month before tax, it can take nearly 40 years to achieve. Public sector pay also sets the benchmark for private schools.

Teachers at the march said low pay and slow progression were driving dissatisfaction across the profession, particularly among younger staff, and warned that public education was being strained. REUTERS