Workers on Edge: Transfer to SLEP El Pino Finalized Amid Debts and Emotional Strain

Original article: Trabajadores al borde: Traspaso a SLEP El Pino se concreta con deudas y “profundo desgaste emocional”

The decision has created an atmosphere of uncertainty and violation amid municipal non-compliance, with authorities blaming each other.

In early 2025, the transfer of municipal education in San Bernardo to the Local Public Education Service — SLEP — El Pino was finalized, occurring with historical pension and salary debts owed to workers. This failure to comply with the New Public Education Law sparked outrage and concern among affected organizations, who accuse the municipality and the Ministry of Education of violating their rights.

In light of this situation, Yasna Sánchez Rubio, President of the National Federation of Public Education Assistants of Chile — AEFEN — emphasized that the uncertainty is causing «deep emotional and economic weariness» for education support staff, as it impacts people’s lives and goes beyond just being «a figure or unpaid benefits,» she asserts.

Nicolás Díaz, a leader of Education Assistants in San Bernardo, expanded on this point, noting that while pension debts should be on track to be settled thanks to a directive from the Ministry of Education to the Treasury, the uncertainty lies in wage debts. Díaz explained that people’s concerns stem from the lack of clarity regarding the commitment from Education Minister Nicolás Cataldo, who stated in December 2024 that «under the administration of the current president Gabriel Boric, the debts owed to the workers would be paid.» Despite this promise, Diazi reported that the Technical Table has lost momentum, leaving workers «on alert and on the verge of taking action.»

Amid the public dispute between Minister Cataldo, who blames Mayor Christopher White, and the mayor, who reciprocates the accusations to the Ministry of Education, the organizations chose to intensify their movements. Yasna Sánchez declared that they will not rest «until their rights are respected» and will demand that the Ministry assumes its legal responsibilities, possibly involving the Comptroller’s office, the courts, and other appropriate forums regarding what they consider a «poor management» by Mayor White. Meanwhile, Nicolás Díaz mentioned their option for a class action lawsuit against the municipality: «it’s the legal path we have today to demand payment of the pension debts and wages from the municipality of San Bernardo, which bears responsibility for this.»

The leader reminded that legally the mayor of San Bernardo, despite being the former employer, remains the «direct legal responsible» for the situation, even if the Ministry intervenes. He further noted that the request for Mayor White’s dismissal by opposition councilors — Juan Francisco Rivera, Carolina Fuentealba, María Jesús Núñez, and Mariela Araya — before the Regional Electoral Tribunal for «abandonment of duties» and non-payment of contributions «complicates the ability to focus on this issue.» Díaz called on the mayor to rejoin the Technical Table’s efforts, so they do not feel «orphaned by a municipality.»

Beyond the current situation, both education assistants agree that what happened serves as a serious warning about the educational model. Yasna Sánchez argues that San Bernardo’s case is a symptom of a much deeper issue: «a model that, in its implementation, has shown significant flaws,» leading them to insist on the need for Parliament to expedite the processing of the project modifying Law 21.040, which establishes SLEPs.

In a similar vein, Nicolás Díaz stated that the fundamental problem is the weak funding of public education in Chile, where the attendance-based funding model fails to address the complexity of the vulnerable populations they serve. Additionally, he affirmed that the pattern of municipal administration is repeating, leading to precarious conditions.

The final reflection points to the urgent need for words to translate into concrete actions. Díaz encapsulated the sentiments of thousands of workers, asserting that they want consistent actions, lamenting that popular and attractive speeches «do not translate into what happens in everyday life, in the workspaces that currently exist in public education.» This atmosphere of tension and distrust keeps education assistants on alert, waiting for an effective solution that reverses the violation of their rights.