Costa Rican teachers could go back on strike next year

Costa Rican teachers could go back on strike in 2019 in order to fight a plan to impose public-sector salary restrictions on staff employed by the Ministry of Education. The new terms would mean benefits only to those with special qualifications.

The proposed changes would be part of the fiscal reform, passed recently by the Legislative Assembly in an effort to curb the government deficit, which is the largest of any country in Latin America.

The teachers' union promised to back the fiscal plan in exchange for certain alternative measures but now there is concern among the ranks about revelations that some people in the private sector are avoiding their fiscal responsibilities.