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Teachers' strike in Catalonia: 'no' to pre-agreement sparks new protests

Educators reject the educational agreement and call for new strike days, coinciding with the Pope's visit and the PAU exams.

Generic image of teachers protesting in front of the Parliament of Catalonia.
IA

Generic image of teachers protesting in front of the Parliament of Catalonia.

Thousands of Catalan teachers have taken to the streets again this Friday to protest the educational pre-agreement, which was largely rejected in a vote. The strike day was supported by unions such as USTEC, CGT, and Intersindical, who are demanding new negotiations and the dismissal of the Minister of Education, Esther Niubó.

Tension in the Catalan education sector has intensified after the majority of teachers voted against the pre-agreement presented by the Department of Education. This outcome has led to the call for a new general strike throughout Catalonia, with massive demonstrations in Barcelona. Unions like CGT and Intersindical have gone further, demanding the "immediate" dismissal of the Minister of Education, Esther Niubó.
Minister Esther Niubó stated that "the negotiation period has ended," recalling that the pre-agreement had the backing of four out of the five majority unions. Despite this, she has opened the door to a new "round of contacts" to listen to the organizations and conduct a "shared reflection" to resolve the conflict, although unions like USTEC have announced they will not attend Friday's meeting, preferring to focus on the mobilizations.
Protests have been felt in various parts of Catalonia, with road blockades such as on the C-31 in Badalona and on the AP-7 and C-33 in Granollers. In Barcelona, thousands of teachers gathered in front of the Parliament, in Ciutadella Park, with banners demanding "more resources, less discourse" and "educational dignity." Chants were directed at Minister Niubó and the President of the Generalitat, Salvador Illa.
The situation is complicated by the strike coinciding with Pope León XIV's visit to Barcelona, scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday of next week, and the start of the Selectividad exams. The Mossos d'Esquadra (Catalan Police) have assured they will do "everything possible" to make the papal visit compatible with the teacher mobilizations, deploying a large security operation.
The rejected pre-agreement included a progressive salary increase up to 173 euros by 2029, the creation of 5,000 professorships, and an increase in the specific complement. However, demands such as reducing class ratios and reinforcing inclusive education have not convinced a significant portion of teachers, who consider the improvements insufficient.
The strike comes at a delicate time, with only two weeks left until the end of the school year. The Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) has already begun seeking reinforcements from teachers and researchers to supervise the PAU exams due to the potential absence of secondary school teachers.

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