About 2,000 teachers, according to the Mossos d'Esquadra, and 4,000, according to the organizing unions, demonstrated this Thursday in Lleida in a new day of strike against the management of the Departament d'Educació. The march went through the city center from the territorial services of Education to the headquarters of the PSC and the Casa dels Gegants, where union representatives read their manifestos.
The difference in figures was repeated in the follow-up of the strike. The Government placed participation at 15%, while USTEC, Professors de Secundària, CGT, and Intersindical raised it to 60%, in a protest that is part of the cycle of strikes that began on Tuesday throughout Catalonia and will continue until June 5.
Unions raised follow-up to 60% which the Government reduced to 15%
The mobilization in Lleida is part of a schedule of staggered strikes with salary and organizational demands. The organizers are demanding more resources, fewer ratios, less bureaucracy, and changes in negotiations with the ministry.
Rosa Aguilà, spokesperson for USTEC, criticized the last meeting with Education and warned that the discontent remains open. The union representative also raised the option of intensifying the protest if there are no changes in the coming weeks.
"The group remains very angry and disappointed, the minister came to Thursday's meeting empty-handed and we will not take a single step back, we will fight to the end" - Rosa Aguilà, spokesperson for USTEC
Aguilà later added that there is a possibility of calling an indefinite strike. Jordi Barrufet, representative of Professors de Secundària, stated that the teaching staff has tried to negotiate and expressed hope that the minister will recognize that the conflict requires political will to be resolved.
Emili Llorente, from CGT, defined the moment as an "educational emergency" and stated that the Government has not opened a negotiation table, but only a dialogue table. Carlos Vílchez, from Intersindical, summarized the demands with a request for a 25% salary increase, more resources, and less bureaucracy.
The protest started from Education and ended at the PSC headquarters and the Casa dels Gegants
The route in Lleida started at the territorial services of Education and ended at two points where the unions visualized their political and public pressure. There they read the manifestos with which they closed the day of protest in the capital of Segrià.
At the same time, teachers from Alt Pirineu i Aran organized a demonstration in La Seu and a rally at the Cadí tunnel. In both events, they demanded an immediate shock plan and structural measures for public schools.
The next strike day in Lleida is scheduled for June 4. Before that, the Catalan calendar sets stoppages on May 20 in nursery schools and on May 27 and June 5 for all teaching staff.