The major education union has proposed a consultation for teachers to determine whether to initiate a new cycle of strikes, similar to that of March, or to prepare for an indefinite strike. This initiative stems from the demand to the Government to reopen negotiations, going beyond the agreement already reached with CCOO and UGT. Demands include a salary improvement for the current academic year and, for the next, the implementation of effective measures to strengthen educational quality, such as reducing student-teacher ratios, more resources for student support, and a reduction in bureaucracy.
A new cycle of strikes is a central tool if we truly want to have the necessary strength to force the department to rectify.
While negotiations between unions and the Department of Education remain stalled, school boards and parent associations (AFAs) have also begun to speak out. After the Government sent a letter to families of public and subsidized schools detailing the agreement with CCOO and UGT, the school boards of approximately 200 public schools and institutes have sent their own response. This bulletin, similar in format to the Government's, presents the information as a "contrast of measures".
It is not about confronting, but about providing context and transparency.
School boards criticize that the economic agreement does not align with the 6% of GDP investment mandated by the Catalan Education Law, which translates into a lack of support professionals, limited resources for diversity, and schools operating at their limits. They also question the claim that Catalan teachers will be among the best paid in Spain by 2029, arguing that other regions will also increase salaries and that the increase depends on annual budget approval. Furthermore, they point out that the 50-euro per night compensation for teachers only provides for two teachers per group, which is insufficient for early childhood education.
The threat of suspending excursions and school trips, announced by over 500 schools for the next academic year, has prompted several AFAs to act. While supporting teachers' demands, they warn that canceling these activities would increase inequalities among students. The AFA of Institut Escola Pallerola in Sant Celoni issued a statement urging the Minister of Education, Esther Niubó, to resume negotiations, emphasizing the importance of school trips in learning.
“"The opportunity arose to make a statement and declare: hey, we agree with you [the teachers], but not that you leave us without school trips."
Sònia del Rio, an AFA member, explains that extensive work has been done with the Sant Celoni town council to ensure all children can participate in school trips, and that their suspension would be detrimental, especially for vulnerable students. Several AFAs from Maresme, Baix Llobregat, and Vallès have also sided with teachers, demanding improvements in their conditions and the education system in general. The AFA also views with suspicion the fact that Education communicated the agreement directly to families, considering that "they cannot communicate an agreement if a large part does not agree with it".
