After a 16-day delay in the payment of the Christmas bonus, the Autonomous University of the State of Morelos (UAEM) began the disbursement of this benefit for its academic and administrative staff. This situation led to the suspension of the strike notice announced by the Administrative Workers' Union, as the collective bargaining agreement was considered fulfilled. The UAEM General Secretariat reported through internal circular number 11 that, on the instructions of Rector Viridiana Aydeé León Hernández, extraordinary financial resources were obtained that allowed for the fulfillment of this labor obligation and the closing of the 2025 fiscal year without affecting commitments to workers. According to the official calendar, electronic payments at Banco Santander and other banking institutions began to be reflected from 3:00 PM on December 30. “It's not just about this year, but also the next one, so it doesn't happen again,” stated Victoria Morelos. She recalled that UAEM's financial difficulties have been recurring for several years and have impacted administrative workers at different times. Meanwhile, direct payments at the Santander-UAEM branch, as well as through the Pan American Service, will be made on December 31, in accordance with previously established schedules and venues. The general secretary of the UAEM Administrative Workers' Union (STAUAEM), Victoria Morelos Domínguez, confirmed that once the release of the funds was notified, the payment process began, and with it, the strike notice scheduled for December 19 became ineffective. “Compliance with this payment is already being met; the established terms of the contract are being fulfilled,” stated the union leader, specifying that the issue will be addressed in a conciliation hearing with university authorities. She indicated that in this meeting, both the delay recorded this year and the preventive measures that must be implemented to avoid a similar situation in the next fiscal year will be reviewed. Although she noted that the current arrears are less than in previous periods, she warned that the budget remains insufficient to cover all institutional obligations. In this context, she called on both local and federal chambers of deputies to allocate resources in the 2026 Expenditure Budget that guarantee the university's financial stability. In turn, the UAEM Independent Academic Workers' Union (SITAUAEM) reported that the payment of the Christmas bonus corresponding to 2025 for unionized academic staff was the result of joint efforts with the Central Administration. Through a press release, the SITAUAEM Central Executive Committee recognized the efforts led by Rector Viridiana Aydeé León Hernández before state and federal bodies, as well as the support from the Government of Morelos and federal authorities. According to the academic union, the payment provides economic certainty to more than 3,500 unionized workers, both active and retired, which allows for the maintenance of UAEM's academic and administrative operations. Finally, SITAUAEM reiterated that it will maintain permanent follow-up on the institution's financial situation to prevent new delays in benefit payments and ensure stable working conditions.
