Coordinadora Nacional de Trabajadores de la Educación
The Coordinadora Nacional de Trabajadores de la Educación (CNTE) is an education union and, with around 1.5 million members, the largest single union in Mexico . It was founded on December 17, 1979 as an alternative to the Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores de la Educación (SNTE) union by teachers from the poorer southern Mexican states.
From 2013 onwards, it was the main driving force behind the protests against the educational reform promoted by the ruling party. Strikes took place in 12 states and were directed against reforming the education system towards a more neo-liberal system and against restricting the influence of the union in education. In the general election in Mexico in 2015 , CNTE members blocked polling stations.
On June 19, 2016, following previous road blockades in the city of Asunción Nochixtlán in the state of Oaxaca , protesters and the Federal Police (Policía Federal) confronted at least six civilians and injured over 100 people.