President Claudia Sheinbaum has offered to establish joint working groups between the Secretariat of Public Education (SEP) and the Secretariat of Governance (Segob) to address demands from the National Coordinator of Education Workers (CNTE) [1, 2].
The move aims to stabilize labor relations with the influential teachers' union and prevent large-scale mobilizations that could disrupt the FIFA World Cup 2026 [3, 4].
Sheinbaum said, "Always there has been dialogue" [2]. However, the president noted that not all requests from the union are feasible. Sheinbaum said, "There are demands of the CNTE that cannot be fulfilled" [3].
To mitigate the conflict, the administration has highlighted a 10% increase in teacher salaries [3]. Despite this, the CNTE has previously sought direct meetings with the president, leading to what some reports described as an attempt to shut down communication channels [2].
In response, the SEP and Segob issued a joint statement saying, "We will install a working table to attend to the demands of the guild" [1]. These tables are intended to serve as the primary mechanism for negotiation, moving the dialogue away from direct presidential intervention and toward departmental administration [1, 2].
The government's strategy focuses on maintaining social peace in Mexico City and other host regions. The potential for protests during the 2026 tournament remains a primary concern for the federal government as it balances labor rights with international obligations [3, 4].
“"There are demands of the CNTE that cannot be fulfilled"”
The Mexican government is attempting to institutionalize its relationship with the CNTE by shifting negotiations to the SEP and Segob. By offering a 10% salary increase while simultaneously admitting that some demands are impossible, the administration is setting a boundary on concessions. The urgency of these talks is driven by the 2026 World Cup, as the government seeks to avoid the optics of mass civil unrest during a high-profile global event.
