Members of the National Coordination of Education Workers participate in an indefinite national strike in Mexico City to increase pressure on the government to address their labor demands as the 2026 World Cup nears. Photo by Mario Guzman/EPA
June 10 (UPI) -- More than 1.4 million students remain out of class in Mexico due to a strike by the National Coordinator of Education Workers as the country prepares to open the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Thursday in Mexico City.
About 88,500 teachers have been on strike since June 1, maintaining protests in several parts of the country to demand wage increases, changes to the pension system and the repeal of education reforms.
Public Education Secretary Mario Delgado said at a news conference Tuesday that 17,471 schools remain closed in six states and the Mexican capital, affecting 1,410,459 students.
The most severe disruption is in Oaxaca, one of Mexico's poorest states, where more than 734,000 students have been affected by the suspension of classes.
