Haiti: Teachers threaten indefinite strike starting January 16

Event

A union in Haiti representing university and secondary school teachers announced on Tuesday, November 28, that unless their demands are met, they will launch an indefinite nationwide strike beginning on January 16, 2018. The strike may provoke associated protests by angry students. As with all protests in Haiti, clashes between security forces and demonstrators, or other forms of violence, are possible.

Context

Numerous strikes and protests have broken out in Haiti in recent months, notably regarding the adoption of the controversial 2017-2018 budget, as well as a corruption scandal involving USD 2 billion in embezzled aid from Venezuela intended to be used for recovery efforts following the 2010 earthquake. The teachers are demanding back pay, an increase in base salary to HTG 75,000 (USD 1179), and better health insurance for all teachers.

Advice

Individuals in Haiti are advised to keep abreast of the situation and strictly avoid all protests and rallies due to the high likelihood of violence.