After a week of teacher protests, the government has found a temporary solution to fund the pay raise.
Teachers in Puerto Rico will receive a raise of $1,000 per month, Gov. Pedro Pierluisi confirmed on Monday at a press conference.
The announcement comes a week after multiple protests by thousands of teachers across the island. Some have shared their testimonies of how difficult it is to survive on $1,800 a month.
Pierluisi emphasized that this is a temporary solution since the increase will be made with federal funds, specifically with the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER).
These funds are of a temporary nature because they will only be available until September 2024. Pierluisi said that the government will need to identify necessary local funds so that the salary increase can be permanent and financed by the local government.
Starting in July of this year, instead of receiving just the additional $235 approved in the Fiscal Plan, teachers will receive an extra $1,000, with the difference of $765 coming from federal funds.
And from January 1, 2023, instead of the increase of $470 that was approved by the Fiscal Oversight Board (La Junta), teachers will continue to receive the extra $1,000. That difference will also come from federal funds.
At the moment, the governor has not reported a salary increase for other public employees who are also protesting, such as firefighters. The police also warned that they will strike from tomorrow until Thursday.
