The Catalonia education strike has prompted union frustration. The Generalitat published minimum service requirements late on Tuesday night, less than 24 hours before the walkout began.
This strike, scheduled for Wednesday, involves teachers and educational staff across the region. They are protesting working conditions, salaries, and resource allocation. However, labour representatives condemn the government’s last-minute decree on minimum staffing levels. They label it ‘abusive’ and an attempt to stifle the right to protest.
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Catalonia education strike: Minimum services detailed
The government’s order requires significant staffing levels during the strike. Mandates include one management team member per centre and a ratio of one teacher for every three classrooms across infant, primary, and secondary education.
Stricter requirements apply to other sectors. Special education centres must maintain 50% of their staff, while nurseries keep 33% of personnel on site. For the Tarragona Educational Complex, half of the kitchen and dining staff must remain, alongside essential maintenance and nursing services.
The USTEC union issued a statement expressing ‘frontal rejection’ of the measures. They criticised the announcement’s timing, arguing it left schools with no time to organise effectively.
“We denounce that the minimum services order was published just tonight… an absurdity in terms of deadlines. USTEC denounces that these minimum services are clearly abusive and respond to the will to limit and empty the fundamental right to strike of content.”USTEC Union Statement
Catalonia education strike demands: Salary and smaller classes
Major unions, including USTEC, Professors de Secundària, Comissions Obreres (CCOO), CGT, and UGT, called this unitary strike. Their primary demands centre on recovering purchasing power. They claim a loss of over 20% and seek improved salary supplements attached to their roles.
Beyond pay, the unions demand a reduction in student-to-teacher ratios. They also call for increased staffing and substantial investment to repair educational facilities. Furthermore, they highlight the need for better resources for inclusive education. This includes more counsellors and support staff, plus a reduction in administrative bureaucracy.
The CGT has extended the strike call to include labour and leisure staff. They note that precarious working conditions affect the entire educational community, including integrators, physiotherapists, and cafeteria workers.
Government proposal and future action for the Catalonia education strike
Sources from the Department of Education indicate a proposal to improve salary supplements is ready. However, it remains conditional on budget approval. The Department insists it is willing to negotiate and hopes to debate the proposal at the next sectoral meeting, tentatively scheduled for 19 February.
Unions, however, claim they have not yet received any concrete written proposals despite previous commitments. They argue that the medical leave of Councillor Esther Niubó should not delay negotiations, as the government must maintain its capacity to dialogue.
Therefore, if no progress is made following Wednesday’s action, the unions have announced plans for a week-long strike from 16 to 20 March.
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