“What teachers know at the moment is that a wave of opposition has been created in such a way that, either the Government realises that it has to value teachers, respect teachers and dignify our profession, or the fight will continue because no one will stop such a wave and we will continue to help the wave to grow”, said Mário Nogueira, who was speaking to journalists at the Coimbra-B train station.

That station served as a meeting point for one of the three marches in Coimbra that will converge on Praça 8 de Maio, in the centre of the city, on the day that the teachers' strike takes place in this district of the central region of the country.

With nine union organisations involved, this strike began on the 16th of January and is set to last until the 8th of February, in order to cover all districts in the country.

Mário Nogueira foresees adhesion levels in Coimbra higher than those registered on Monday, in Castelo Branco, noting that the dozens of teachers concentrated there from various schools in the district spoke of adhesions above 90% in their schools.

“This demonstrates that teachers, in fact, are not going to give in and will go as far as it takes to be respected”, stressed the union leader.

“Teachers are very tired of what has been happening to them for a long time. Now, they are absolutely available and not at all tired to fight for their rights”, he stressed.

This district teachers' strike involves nine union structures: the Union Association of Licensed Teachers (ASPL), the National Federation of Teachers (FENPROF), the Pró-Ordem dos Professores - Union Association/Portuguese Teachers Federation, the Union of Educators and Licensed Teachers (SEPLEU ), National Union of Education Professionals (SINAPE), National and Democratic Union of Teachers (SINDEP), Independent Union of Teachers and Educators (SIPE) and National Union of Teachers Licensed by Polytechnics and Universities (SPLIU) and National Federation of Education ( FNE), who later joined.