The Department of Education and the education unions closed the Wednesday meeting without an agreement and set a new meeting for Thursday at noon, with inclusive education as the central issue of the next negotiation. The disagreement keeps the labor conflict alive in Barcelona's schools, where the unions are maintaining the strikes planned for June 2 and 5.
The negotiation also arrives at a clear point of friction. The ministry has improved its economic offer and is accelerating the payment of the 200 euros agreed upon in March with CCOO and UGT, but the unions reproach that the salary increase is not accompanied by effective negotiation on resources for inclusive education.
The Ministry advanced the payment and raised the supplement to 75 euros in 2029
The Government plans to pay the 200 euros agreed upon in March with CCOO and UGT in three years, instead of four. To this move, it adds a proposal to increase the salary supplement to 46.90 euros gross per month in 2026 and to 75 euros in 2029.
In the calculation presented to the table, the accumulated increase would be 355 euros in four years. The figure falls short of the 400 or 500 euros demanded by the unions, who consider the proposal presented by the ministry insufficient.
Esther Niubó, Minister of Education, expressed her confidence in the possibility of resolving the conflict despite the outcome of the meeting. In contrast to this message, Iolanda Segura, spokesperson for USTEC, described the meeting as "absolutely disappointing."
The unions brought up the lack of inclusive resources on the third day of strike
Wednesday's meeting coincided with the third day of strike in Barcelona's educational centers. During the protest, a demonstration gathered 7,000 people according to the Guàrdia Urbana and 15,000 according to the unions.
A large part of the clash shifted to inclusive education. The unions criticized that the ministry had not sufficiently negotiated the improvement of resources in this area, while Ignasi Giménez, Secretary of Educational Improvement, assured that the department will put the proposals made on this matter in writing.
The conflict began on February 11 with the call for a first strike. Then came the stoppages from March 16 to 20 and, later, the calendar announced on April 28 for mobilizations between May 6 and June 5, which was eventually called off.
Now, the next attempt at an agreement is set for Thursday at noon, in a meeting focused on inclusive education while the strikes of June 2 and 5 remain called in Barcelona.