Public education workers in Costa Rica marched on Wednesday under the slogan “Decent and Fair Wage for Public Workers,” protesting the administration of President Rodrigo Chaves Robles and accusing it of passing legislation harmful to educators.

Participants included members of several unions, among them the Union of Public and Private Employees (ANEP), the Union of High School Teachers (APSE), the Public Education Union (ADEM), and the Union of Workers of the Ministry of Public Education (MEP). The groups are calling on the government to adopt measures aimed at improving teachers’ salaries.

Their demands include:

• Complying with the Costa Rican Constitution’s mandate to allocate 8% of the nation’s GDP to public education.

• Granting salary increases for teachers.

• Allowing educators access to their own pension funds.

Organizers said thousands of people marched less than a mile through downtown San José, starting at La Merced Church Park and ending at the Ministry of Finance on 3rd Street and 2nd Avenue.

Traffic police urged drivers to avoid the area during the march and were stationed along the route to redirect vehicles.

As of noon, police reported the protest remained peaceful.

Costa Rica enacted Law No. 21.049 in 2020, known as the Law to Provide Legal Security on Strikes and Their Procedures. The legislation restricts strikes by public employees and bans walkouts in sectors considered vital public services, including occupations tied to essential government functions.

Under the Law No. 21.049 in 2020, known as the "Law to Provide Legal Security on Strikes and Their Procedures," public education is classified as an essential sector.

It requires enough staff to remain on duty to keep schools, high schools and universities operating during a strike. It also limits strikes by public employees to 10 days and prohibits marches in public spaces. Once that period expires, employees must return to work.

MEP oversees Costa Rica’s public education system and is responsible for implementing plans, programs and other measures to provide basic, free and universal public education.

Wednesday’s march was the second public demonstration this month. On Nov. 11, unions protested the Chaves Robles administration, accusing it of harming the public sector.