Thousands of people walked through the center of Girona this Thursday on the third day of the teachers' strike in the Girona counties and Central Catalonia. The demonstration gathered 8,000 attendees, according to the organization, and 4,500, according to the Municipal Police, before ending in front of the government delegation.
The protest once again highlighted the distance between the parties, also in terms of strike participation. The Department of Education placed participation at 21.52% in Central Catalonia and the Girona counties, while the convening unions raised it to 55%, on a day that also ended without an agreement between teacher representatives and the administration.
The marches converged in Plaça Catalunya before walking through the center of Girona
Several slow marches arrived around ten in the morning at Plaça Catalunya in Girona. There, a popular breakfast and an assembly convened by the Coordinator of Educational Assemblies of the Girona Counties were held to define the next steps of the mobilization.
Afterwards, the main march left Correus and advanced along Gran Via de Jaume I to the Mercat del Lleó. The route continued along Passeig del General Mendoza and Plaça de Catalunya until ending in front of the government delegation.
Later, the demonstrators also passed through La Rambla, Carrer de Ballesteries, and El Cul de la Lleona. The route coincided with the Temps de Flors exhibition at several points in the city center.
Education set participation at 21.52% and unions raised it to 55%
The Department of Education registered a strike participation of 21.52% in Central Catalonia and the Girona counties. This data was compiled with information provided by 92.32% of the centers at five in the afternoon.
In contrast to this figure, the convening unions maintained that participation reached 55%. The call affected teaching and non-teaching staff in public centers and the Department of Education and Vocational Training.
Cleaning, kitchen, and monitoring staff from other centers were also called to join the strike. There is no official data available in this area.
In front of the headquarters of the Department of Education, participants held a rally, read a manifesto, and placed flowers on the facade of the Generalitat de Catalunya building. The subsequent meeting between teacher representatives and the Department of Education ended without any agreement.