APSE Asociación de Profesores de Segunda Enseñanza - Costa Rica

What APSE Asociación de Profesores de Segunda Enseñanza - Costa Rica does

APSE (Asociación de Profesores de Segunda Enseñanza) is a Costa Rican labor union and nonprofit association that provides union representation, collective bargaining, labor and legal advisory, pension guidance, training, subsidies, and recreation services to public education workers. Its core constituents are teachers, administrative staff, and support personnel employed by the Ministerio de Educación Pública (MEP), as well as pensioned and retired education workers organized through Regional 26, with an ongoing advocacy track to incorporate workers at state-subsidized private schools. The organization operates as a recognized signatory to the III Convención Colectiva del Sector Educativo (homologated March 10, 2021, alongside SEC, ANDE and SITRACOME), with formal seats on the boards of JUPEMA, CCSS, Caja de ANDE, and SSVMN.

The union's service architecture combines a national political/labor representation layer with a digital member-services layer and a physical recreation layer. The digital layer comprises the APSE Virtual web platform (virtual-apse.cr) for member administration and recreation-center reservations, the APSE Virtual mobile application distributed on Play Store, App Store, and App Gallery, WhatsApp-based inquiry channels (8956-2476 for general service; 8410-5252 for dues payment reporting), SINPE electronic payments for monthly membership dues (account 8304-7786), and content distribution via APSE TV on YouTube (hosting the Asesorìa a su Alcance program, now in its 13th season) and a digital bulletin. The physical layer comprises central headquarters in San José, 64 regional structures (Regionales 01-64), over 1,700 base organizations at educational centers, the Escuela Sindical Luisa González Gutiérrez training school, and recreation centers in Playa Dominical, Playa Tamarindo, Puerto Viejo de Limón (Playa Negra), and (as of July 2026) a reopened finca in San Pablo de Heredia.

APSE's business model is a long-tail subscription model funded by monthly member dues, supplemented by modest cabin-rental fees at the recreation centers (₡15,000-₡30,000 per night depending on capacity), and is governed by an elected leadership (currently Dennis Solís Cruz as President), an elected TEAPSE electoral tribunal, and a democratic assembly structure (Base Assemblies, Regional Assemblies, General Assembly). Revenue is not publicly disclosed, and the union's strategic positioning is defined by labor-rights defense, public-education funding advocacy (the constitutional 8% of GDP benchmark), and pension-regime protection under JUPEMA.

Name

APSE Asociación de Profesores de Segunda Enseñanza - Costa Rica

Legal name

APSE Asociación de Profesores de Segunda Enseñanza

Website

https://apse.cr

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

APSE is a Costa Rican teachers' union and nonprofit representing public education workers through 64 regional structures and over 1,700 base organizations, providing collective bargaining, legal and pension advisory, training, and recreation benefits funded by monthly membership dues.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

San José

HQ country

Costa Rica

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues (Cuotas de Afiliación): APSE generates revenue through membership dues collected from affiliated teachers and education workers. Payments are processed via SINPE (national electronic payment system) at account 8304-7786, with members reporting payments via WhatsApp

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

APSE is a Costa Rican labor union representing secondary education teachers and public education workers, providing collective bargaining representation before the Ministry of Public Education (MEP). The union delivers legal advisory, labor advisory, and pension advisory services, operates a union training school (Escuela Sindical Luisa González Gutiérrez), and provides member benefits including three recreation centers (Centros de Recreo). It also operates the APSE Virtual online platform and APSE Virtual mobile app for member services.

Product overview

APSE is a teachers' union (Asociación de Profesores de Segunda Enseñanza) serving public education workers in Costa Rica. The organization provides a member services platform (APSE Virtual), a mobile app for affiliated members, legal and labor advisory services, a virtual legal service (APSE Legal Virtual), recreational facilities (Centros de Recreo), a union training school (Escuela Sindical Luisa González Gutiérrez), and a television/radio program (Asesoría a su Alcance / APSE TV). The core offering is union representation, collective bargaining support, and member benefits rather than a unified software product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• TEAPSE: Tribunal Electoral de APSE - Electoral tribunal responsible for conducting union elections
• Escuela Sindical Luisa González Gutiérrez
• APSE TV
• Asesoría a su Alcance
• COPAPSE
• Centros de Recreo APSE

Products and services

• APSE Union Representation and Collective Bargaining
• Asesoría Legal (Legal Advisory)
• Asesoría Laboral (Labor Advisory)
• Asesoría en Pensiones (Pension Advisory)
• Centros de Recreo (Recreation Centers)
• Escuela Sindical Luisa González Gutiérrez
• APSE Virtual Platform
• APSE Virtual Mobile App
• Departamento de Afiliación y Subsidios (Affiliation and Subsidies)

Quantifiable outcome

• III Collective Convention of the Education Sector negotiated and homologated on March 10, 2021, valid until March 10, 2024
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• JUPEMA (Junta de Pensiones y Jubilaciones del Magisterio Nacional)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAPSE maintains representation on the JUPEMA Board of Directors and actively advocates for pension rights of education workers. APSE participates in JUPEMA's Social Week activities and nominates representatives through internal competitions. APSE has filed lawsuits and advocated for the defense of pension regimes administered by JUPEMA, including the Transitional Distribution Regime (RTR). APSE also advocates for government contributions to JUPEMA pension funds.
• CCSS (Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAPSE participates in the selection of the CCSS Board through the union sector. In 2026, the union sector elected Rocío Alfaro as its representative before the CCSS. APSE advocates for workers' health rights and coordinates on matters related to medical licenses and disability benefits for education workers.
• Sociedad de Seguros de Vida del Magisterio Nacional (SSVMN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAPSE has a designated representative (Luis Alfonso Pardo) on the SSVMN Board. The SSVMN provides life insurance and mutual benefits to education workers. APSE works with SSVMN to inform members about insurance products, including life insurance policies, mutual fund options, and disability coverage.
• SEC, ANDE, SITRACOME (Education sector union coalition)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAPSE is part of the four-union coalition (SEC-ANDE-SITRACOME-APSE) that negotiated the III Collective Convention of the Education Sector (homologated March 10, 2021). These unions coordinate positions in the Joint Paritary Board (Junta Paritaria) and jointly address issues before MEP, the Legislative Assembly, and national institutions. The coalition also coordinates in the National Pension Struggle Front.
• Caja de ANDEsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerAPSE maintains representation (Eduardo Barahona Valverde) on the Caja de ANDE Board. The organization receives briefings on risk management and financial decisions affecting the large membership base of Caja de ANDE. APSE aims to make these conferences periodic for transparency and accountability.
• SINAPRO (Sindicato Nacional de Profesores)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerSINAPRO is another teachers' union in Costa Rica. APSE and SINAPRO coordinate on issues of mutual concern, including participation in the March 26 November 2025 mobilization and joint activities in the Joint Paritary Board discussions.
• MEP (Ministerio de Educación Pública)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAPSE's primary counterpart in collective bargaining. APSE participates in the Joint Paritary Board (Junta Paritaria) of the III Collective Convention with MEP, negotiating salary matters, working conditions, professional development, and resolving labor disputes. APSE also obtains licenses from MEP for union assemblies, elections, and member activities.
• CONAPE (Comisión Nacional de Préstamos para la Educación)secondaryOthersAPSE has denounced proposals to sell CONAPE's credit portfolio, which would increase interest rates from 5.5% to over 13%, affecting thousands of student borrowers, predominantly women. APSE opposed the government measure in the Multisectoral Dialogue Table.
• MIDEPLAN (Ministerio de Planificación Nacional)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerAPSE engages with MIDEPLAN on public salary negotiations and fiscal policy issues. APSE has demanded that MIDEPLAN summon the Public Sector Salary Negotiating Commission and has protested against public spending cuts affecting education.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Sindicato de Educadores Costarricenses (SEC): SEC is one of the four recognized parties to the III Convención Colectiva del Sector Educativo in Costa Rica, directly co-bargaining with APSE on wages, pensions, and working conditions for public education workers. It is APSE's closest direct peer in mission, membership base, and statutory role.
• Asociación Nacional de Educadores (ANDE): ANDE is another co-party to the III Convención Colectiva and a Costa Rican education union sharing overlapping membership, similar collective-bargaining mandates, and coalition activity with APSE. Direct comparability in scope, geography, and statutory recognition.
• SITRACOME: SITRACOME is the fourth member of the SEC-ANDE-SITRACOME-APSE coalition that negotiates the III Convención Colectiva. Operates in the same Costa Rican public-education space with the same collective-bargaining mandate as APSE.
• Sindicato Nacional de Profesores (SINAPRO): SINAPRO is a Costa Rican teachers' union that coordinates with APSE on mobilizations and Junta Paritaria discussions. Directly comparable as a competing union serving the same public-education membership pool.

Broad incumbents

• National Education Association (NEA): NEA is the largest U.S. teachers' union with comprehensive collective bargaining, legal services, training, and member benefits analogous to APSE. It is a broad incumbent reference point for union scale, governance, and service-delivery model rather than a direct competitor.
• American Federation of Teachers (AFT): AFT is a major U.S. teachers' and public-sector union federation offering collective bargaining, training, and member benefits comparable to APSE's offering. Useful as a broad-incumbent benchmark for a mature union operating model.

Others

• Education International (EI): Education International is the global federation of teachers' unions that APSE-affiliated organizations engage with for international advocacy and policy coordination. It is a peer in the broader union ecosystem rather than a competitor.
• JUPEMA - Junta de Pensiones y Jubilaciones del Magisterio Nacional: JUPEMA is Costa Rica's education-sector pension administrator, where APSE holds board representation and on whose behalf APSE conducts extensive pension advocacy. It is an institutional partner rather than a competitor, but is highly comparable in serving the same membership pool.

Regional players

• SNTE - Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores de la Educación (México): SNTE is a large Latin American teachers' union serving Mexico's public education sector with collective bargaining, member benefits, and political mobilization comparable to APSE. Comparable as a regional peer in scale and mission, though operating in a different national context.
• CNTE - Confederación Nacional de Trabajadores de la Educación (Brasil): CNTE is a major Brazilian education-workers' confederation providing collective representation and member services for public-sector teachers. Comparable in mission and constituency, though organized as a national federation rather than a single-occupation union.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCGfZJnppTVGPXAYeSC7zNxg
• Facebookfacebook.com/apseinforma

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

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