Six unions march to La Fortaleza Thursday over Carrera Magisterial, a salary scale and $9.5 million owed to school transporters

Six unions representing teachers, University of Puerto Rico staff and school transporters march tomorrow, Thursday, November 5, at 10:00 a.m. from Plaza Colón in Old San Juan to the Office of Management and Budget (OGP) and then La Fortaleza. Their shared demand: that the government meet the obligations they say it owes education workers ¹.

The call comes midweek, a little over two weeks before public schools close for the long November break, with the last day of classes set for Wednesday, November 18 ³. That makes the march one of the union movement's last chances to apply pressure before the pause.

Who is marching and why

The march is called by the Federación de Maestros de Puerto Rico (FMPR), ÚNETE, the Asociación Puertorriqueña de Profesores Universitarios (APPU), the Hermandad de Empleados Exentos No Docentes (HEEND), the Federación de Porteadores Escolares and the Sindicato de Trabajadores de la UPR (STUPR) ¹. The invitation extends to teaching and non-teaching staff, UPR employees and the general public ¹.

The FMPR dubbed it the "Día de la Indignación Magisterial," and its central demand is a law establishing a salary scale for all teachers on the island ². The union says the scale should recognize academic preparation, include annual adjustments for years of service and experience, and be reviewed to reflect the cost of living ². The federation argues that highly credentialed teachers earn less than counterparts in other U.S. jurisdictions, which it ties to the emigration of education professionals ².

The demands, one by one

• Teachers (FMPR and ÚNETE): immediate payment of the Carrera Magisterial debt, approval and implementation of the new salary scale, and a dialogue table to guarantee a dignified retirement ¹.
• School transporters: their president, José Rosado, put the debt accumulated through May at $9.5 million ¹. Rosado disputed the official account, saying some companies have not been paid for August services and others have received only small payments ¹.
• HEEND (non-teaching exempt UPR staff): compliance with the 2024-2027 collective bargaining agreement, a new Classification and Compensation Plan, and pay equity ¹. President Hilda Y. Torres Guzmán said "our claims remain stalled amid excuses, bureaucracy and lack of will" ¹.
• APPU (faculty at the eleven campuses): vice president Jorge Lefevre Tavárez said faculty have gone 14 years without a raise and that a growing share of professors lack permanent positions or tenure ¹.

What it means for you

If you have children in public school, the march takes place on a weekday during school hours, so it is worth confirming with the school whether anything changes. The notices available do not announce a general work stoppage; what was called is a march, aimed at teachers, staff and the public ¹².

If your child rides a school bus, the transporters' claim deserves attention: a $9.5 million debt owed to the companies is the kind of problem that, left unresolved, can affect routes and service ¹. If you study at the UPR, the APPU and HEEND demands bear directly on the people who teach you and staff your campus offices ¹.

And if you live or work in Old San Juan, expect congestion and street closures around Plaza Colón, the route toward the OGP and the area around La Fortaleza during the morning ¹².

How to / Checklist

1. Confirm with your school: call the school or check its notices before leaving Thursday morning.
2. If you want to take part: the gathering is at Plaza Colón, Old San Juan, at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, November 5 ¹².
3. Route: Plaza Colón, then the OGP, and finally La Fortaleza ¹. Arrive early and bring water and sun protection.
4. If you are a teacher or UPR employee: ask your union delegate (FMPR, ÚNETE, APPU, HEEND or STUPR) how absence or leave is handled that day ¹.
5. If you drive through San Juan: plan alternate routes and leave with extra time.
6. If you use a school transporter: ask whether service changes and keep their contact handy.

What's next

The march aims to pressure La Fortaleza and the OGP as the school calendar shortens: classes stop on November 18 and students do not return until Monday, November 30 ³. The open question is whether the government responds with the dialogue table teachers want on retirement ¹, or whether the claims move to the legislature, where the FMPR wants the salary-scale law approved ². CoquiList will follow the story and report any official response.

Sources

1. NotiCel, "Sindicatos convocan marcha para denunciar incumplimientos del gobierno," November 3, 2026.
2. El Sol de Puerto Rico, "Federación de Maestros convoca marcha para exigir una escala salarial justa," November 3, 2026.
3. Metro Puerto Rico, "11 días sin clases: Educación anuncia largo receso en noviembre," October 23, 2026.