More than 1,000 teachers strike and confront police

On the morning of Tuesday December 23, 2014, more than 1,000 teachers in Ma’anshan City, Hanshan County, Anhui Province initiated a strike, carrying banners including one that read: “Return my dignity as a teacher, implement equal compensation with other government employees.” They surrounded the Hanshan County government headquarters and demanded that the government issue their year end quota bonus in a timely manner and that it accord with government employee standards for bonus payments and cover the past three years. The demonstration continued until the afternoon, when the protesters clashed with police. One teacher was arrested. Under pressure from the protesting teachers, the arrested teacher was finally released.

Protesting teacher “Tony” said: Where are teachers rights and interests? You don’t have to ask why they stand out in the cold protesting. Their monthly salary is ¥1844 (US$297.05), of course they’re defending the “teacher’s law” and lawfully agitating for teachers rights and interests.

Protester “Anhui Teacher” said: A densely packed crowd of more than 600 teachers gathered at the luxurious highrise county government headquarters. A large mass of riot police confronted the protesters, and due to the precedent of the Tongling (city in southern Anhui Province) protests, no one wanted to initiate a violent conflict. Now the protesters are increasing in number, and it’s estimated that 80 percent of Hanshan County’s middle and primary school teachers participated in the demonstration.

http://news.boxun.com/news/gb/china/2014/12/201412240524.shtml