Who are the CNTE Teachers and Why are They Protesting?
Recently, teachers belonging to the National Coordination of Education Workers (CNTE) have been mobilizing in Mexico City, blocking roads, occupying toll booths, and even besieging the National Palace to prevent journalists from attending President Claudia Sheinbaum’s morning press conference. Their primary demands are reversing the 2007 ISSSTE reform and a 100% salary increase, not the 9% announced by Sheinbaum on May 15.
What is the ISSSTE Reform of 2007 That CNTE Teachers Want to Reverse?
The 2007 ISSSTE reform, enacted during Felipe Calderon’s PAN administration, transformed the pension system from a solidarity-based model to individual accounts in Afores. This change occurred ten years after Ernesto Zedillo’s PRI government made a similar transformation to the IMSS pension system in 1997, creating the Retirement Savings System (SAR) and Afores.
Why Was the Reform Implemented?
Pedro Vázquez Colmenares, former director of Economic, Social, and Cultural Benefits at ISSSTE, explained that the reform was necessary due to the financial unsustainability of the pension system. He noted that solidarity-based systems require a large number of young working individuals to finance retirees’ pensions, which was the case when these systems were initially established in Mexico. However, as the population aged, these systems became unsustainable, leading to reforms in 1997 for the IMSS and 2007 for ISSSTE.
Vázquez Colmenares highlighted that in 1974, there were 20 active workers contributing to one retiree’s pension. By 2006, this ratio had decreased to 5.3 workers per retiree, and currently, there is less than one active worker for each retiree.
What Benefits Were Lost Due to the Reform?
Under the solidarity system, retirees’ pensions were based on the worker’s salary during their career and years of service, resulting in more generous pensions than those provided by Afores. Furthermore, the 2007 reform increased the retirement age for workers entering individual accounts from 58 to 65 years, as previously, workers could retire at 58 under the old system.
What Are the Teachers’ Additional Demands Regarding Pensions?
CNTE teachers also demand that pensions for state workers be calculated based on the minimum wage rather than the Unidad de Medida y Actualización (UMAs), as is currently done. This change has negatively impacted teachers since the value of UMAs has become significantly lower than the minimum wage due to recent increases in the latter.
For instance, 10 UMAs monthly equal 34,395 pesos in 2025, while 10 minimum wages amount to 84,755 pesos. Teachers view this shift from minimum wage-based pensions to UMAs-based calculations as detrimental.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is the ISSSTE? The Instituto de Seguridad y Servicios Sociales de los Trabajadores del Estado (ISSSTE) is a Mexican government agency responsible for providing social security benefits to state employees.
- What was the ISSSTE pension system before 2007? It was a solidarity-based system where active workers paid for retirees’ pensions based on their salary and years of service.
- Why was the 2007 reform implemented? Due to financial unsustainability caused by an aging population and a shrinking workforce supporting retirees.
- What changes did the 2007 reform bring? Transitioned from a solidarity-based system to individual accounts in Afores, increased the retirement age for new workers, and altered pension calculation methods.
- What are the teachers’ main demands? Reversing the 2007 ISSSTE reform and a 100% salary increase, not the 9% announced by President Sheinbaum.
- Why do teachers oppose UMAs-based pension calculations? The value of UMAs has become significantly lower than the minimum wage due to recent increases, negatively impacting teachers’ pensions.
It is expected that on Friday at noon, President Claudia Sheinbaum will meet with CNTE teachers in the Secretariat of Government to address their demands and seek a resolution.
