The Department of Education has sent a proposal to the unions promising around 7,000 more positions over four years (1,631 more positions each academic year and 1,983 in the 2029-2030 academic year) and an increase of almost 400 euros in the monthly gross specific complement over four years. This offer comes during the seventh negotiation table between education unions and the Department, which began at 3:00 PM.
Regarding the specific complement, the Department's initial proposal foresaw an increase of €46.9 in 2026, €49.01 in 2027, and €49.99 in 2028, reaching €124.99 in 2029. This initial figure was deemed insufficient by the USTEC, Professors de Secundària, and CGT unions, who were pushing for an increase of at least 60 euros per month. The new proposal of nearly 400 euros stems from the 30% increase in the specific complement agreed upon with CCOO and UGT, applied over three years with a new calculation. The resulting amounts are €267.33 for primary education and €273.36 for secondary, a difference of about €57 compared to the last offer. However, the unions consider the real increase to be lower, as it includes the proportional part of the general salary increase for civil servants.
In terms of salary, the unions also explain that the ministry has proposed recovering the seniority increments (sexenios) not received during the austerity measures (between 2012 and 2024) over five years. Seniority increments are amounts teachers receive based on their years of service, which underwent changes in their collection from 2012 until their recovery to six years in 2024.
The education proposal also includes an increase of 2,500 professorship positions for 2027 and another 2,500 for 2028. Regarding support classrooms, 40 more are offered in primary each year and 60 for the 2029-2030 academic year; and 25 more in secondary each year and 35 for 2029-2030. In Vocational Training, 10 positions will increase each year and 15 more in 2029-2030.
Detailing the deployment of positions, it is specified that for the next academic year, 1,631 positions will be added each year and 1,983 in 2029-2030, totaling just over 7,000 positions. In educational guidance, there will be an increase of 140 social integrators, 50 social educators, and 200 TEEI (specialist technicians) more each year (400 in 29/30). For intensive support, 150 special education teachers will be added each year (200 in 2029-2030), 52 hearing and language teachers more each year (68 in 2029-2030), 75 educational guidance personnel more each year, 225 special education educators more each year, and 10 external classrooms more each year.
In educational services, 13 inclusive education facilitators more will be added each year, 15 speech therapists more, 54 CREDA (Educational Resource Centers for Hearing Impaired Students) more, 23-24 social workers more, 12 CRETDIC (Educational Resource Centers for Students with Developmental and Behavioral Disorders) more, and 77 PSI (educational guidance) more each year. In special education centers, 80 more teachers will be added to CEEPSIR (Special Education Center Provider of Services and Resources) and 80 more special educators.
The unions had initially requested 6,400 new positions, a figure significantly higher than the 2,405 additional staff proposed by the Department for the upcoming academic year. Today's meeting, postponed from 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM, has generated reservations among the unions, who consider it unacceptable for the first formal proposal to be presented as final.
Minister Esther Niubó had announced in parliament the presentation of a "definitive" proposal to stop the strike. However, USTEC responded that the first formal offer cannot be considered closed. Yesterday's meeting also ended in disappointment, as negotiations stalled on salary matters and inclusive education funding. The spokesperson for USTEC, Iolanda Segura, described the meeting as "absolutely disappointing".
