In an extraordinary outburst, beleaguered Education Minister Nuno Crato has now accused teachers’ unions of being “almost Soviet-like”.
Crato’s difficulties with trade unions are well-known – with his embarrassment over the recent teachers’ assessment tests being just one high-profile example – but his frustrations clearly came to the boil at a debate in Lisbon last week.
Conceding that unions are necessary in a democracy, he countered: “But do I agree with some of the extreme measures taken by unions – always going against the grain? No, I do not!”
“We must get past this,” he said. “There must come a time when we all understand that we have to get along.”
