The general educational strike called this Tuesday in Catalonia has had a 35% follow-through among teaching and non-teaching staff in public centers and other services of the Departament d'Educació, according to administration data. The unions USTEC, Professors de Secundària, CGT, and Intersindical raise that figure to 70%.
The distance between both figures arrives at the start of a month of mobilizations with five days of strike and two days before a sectoral meeting that must open the first official contact between the Generalitat and the convoking unions. The Government maintains, at the same time, that it has no budgetary margin to improve the agreement already signed with CCOO and UGT.
In Barcelona, the protest has included a unitary demonstration with the slogan "Less police, more education". The call also comes while police infiltrations in a teaching assembly in the Catalan capital have led the Minister of the Interior, Núria Parlon, and the director general of the police, Josep Lluís Trapero, to appear before Parliament.
Thursday's sectoral meeting will bring together Education and the conveners for the first time
Union representatives have confirmed that they will attend Thursday's meeting and have demanded from the Minister of Education, Esther Niubó, a "concrete" proposal to begin negotiations. CCOO and UGT will also participate at that table.
Niubó has argued on radio stations that the meeting should serve to "redirect the situation" and reduce the current tension. The councilor has not detailed what offer the department will bring to that meeting.
Meanwhile, the Catalan Executive maintains that there is no budgetary room to improve the agreement reached with CCOO and UGT. That position comes before a meeting in which the conveners seek to bring positions closer to the administration for the first time officially.
Unemployment remains below 20 March and opens a month with five strike days
The follow-up communicated by the Departament d'Educació falls below the 44% registered on March 20. Even so, Tuesday's protest opens a month-long cycle of strikes for the teaching collective.
The call thus maintains pressure on the negotiating calendar amid disputes over the terms of the agreement and the political climate surrounding the conflict. Barcelona has concentrated the most visible image of the day this Tuesday with the unified march of the unions.
The appearance of Núria Parlon and Josep Lluís Trapero before the Parliament for police infiltrations in a teaching assembly in Barcelona coincides with that start of mobilizations and with the meeting of the sectoral table scheduled for this Thursday.