Teachers' Protest Disrupts Travel at Mexico City Airport

A protest by the National Educational Workers Coordination (C.N.T.E.) demanding higher wages led to a brief shutdown of the airport, heavily impacting travel while highlighting the broader economic struggles facing public employees.

A significant protest by the National Educational Workers Coordination (C.N.T.E.), a major teachers' union in Mexico, resulted in temporary disruptions at Mexico City's main international airport on Friday afternoon. The demonstration, aimed at securing higher wages, caused chaos as hundreds of union members marched to various airport entrances, leading to flight delays for thousands of travelers.

The protest commenced around 2 p.m. local time and persisted for about 20 minutes; however, the ramifications extended well beyond the immediate disruption, with some international flights experiencing hours-long delays or outright cancellations. People witnessed scenes of disorder as security personnel moved throughout the terminals to restore order. Due to the chaos, airline carriers like Aeroméxico offered passengers the option to reschedule their flights at no additional charge or for a minor fee.

The airport's protest underscores increasing pressure faced by Mexico's leftist president, Claudia Sheinbaum, from unions and social movements, especially given the context of a struggling economy and significant budget deficits that hinder her capacity to enhance wages and working conditions for public sector employees.

Union leader Eva Hinojosa Tera expressed frustration in a radio interview, stating, "We have not received any attention or respect to resolve our demands, not even the minimal ones, from the president." The C.N.T.E., which claims a membership of 100,000 teachers, has been vocal about their aspirations to double salaries and revise pension and education regulations they criticize as detrimental. Thus, this protest is part of a broader trend of strikes and mobilizations aimed at drawing attention to the plight of educators and advocating for necessary reforms in the sector.