The Auditoría Superior de la Federación (ASF) or the Mexican federal auditor, found that in Oaxaca in 2010, under then-Gover Ulises Ruiz, an "indeterminate" numbers of "teachers" affiliated with dissident Section 22 of the national teachers union SNTE are so-called aviadores, literally aviators or fliers, a term referring to those who draw a state salary yet never set a foot in the classroom, only "flying" in to pick up the check (the term in Argentina, if I recall correctly, is ñoquis, after the Italian dish traditionally eaten on the 29th)
Three hundred "commissioners" of the SNTE section 22 was also on the state pay roll, paid to perform administrative tasks for the state yet working for the union instead.
AFI reports that the inflated/bloated/faked employee rolls cost the state at least 40 million pesos last year, a sum that could have been spent on the Oaxaca education system, among the absolute worst performing in the country, rather on propping up the teachers union.
Carlos Marín, writing in Milenio, claims at least 10,000 out of the 70,000 employed as teachers in Oaxaca, are aviadores. The real cost of this nefarious practice thus remains to be seen.
Correct on ñoquis as they were traditionally a poor man's meal and salaries were paid on the 30th of each month, thus with no money left to eat on the 29th, it was ñoquis all round.
ReplyDeleteThese days it's still traditional and popular to eat ñoquis on the 29th
Ñoquis is used as Arg slang in this case because "you only ever get to see them at the end of the month".
Ah, of course, as they're made of potatoes.. but how delicious still with a light roquefort sauce and some parmigiano...
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