The new day of public education strike has once again brought the educational conflict to the streets and roads of Catalonia. The central demonstration in Barcelona started around eleven in the morning at Pla de Palau and ended at Plaça Drassanes, while teachers also blocked the AP-7 in Salt, Torredembarra, and Granollers, and the A-2 in Lleida.
The protest coincided with an open negotiation with the Departament d'Educació, but the standoff is far from over. Unions value some of the Government's moves, although they maintain all calls and already warn that they will submit the latest proposal for consultation by the entire educational community, even if there is a pre-agreement in the sectoral table this afternoon.
Attendance ranged between 15,000 and 7,000 people in Barcelona
The organizing unions estimated participation at around 15,000 people in the capital, compared to the 7,000 calculated by the Guàrdia Urbana. During the march, slogans were heard against the president of the Generalitat and against the minister, with slogans such as "Illa, if this lasts, it will cost you" and "Niubó, what's up, you're the one who earns too much."
During the mobilization, there was also an incident without injuries when two tourists tried to cross the road over several firecrackers placed by the protesters.
In Barcelona, the Mossos d'Esquadra preemptively closed the Ronda Litoral due to the intention of a group of protesters to cut off that road, and traffic was suspended.
Unions maintained the strike despite a proposal they deem insufficient
Iolanda Segura, national spokesperson for USTEC, considered the proposal to compensate for the debt of the sexenios "interesting," although she demanded a concrete timeline for its implementation. She also maintained that the salary increase proposed by the Government does not come close to the union's request of between 400 and 500 euros over three or four years.
USTEC also increased pressure on staffing levels and demanded an expansion of personnel reinforcement. The union asks to go from the 1,700 staff announced by the Government to 6,500 hires in the centers, a figure shared by the organizers.
For his part, Ignasi Fernández, representative of Professors de Secundària, placed the negotiation still at a "starting point" and confirmed that all strike calls will remain in effect.
Laura Gené, general secretary of education of the CGT, defined the latest proposal from the conselleria as "crumbs" and demanded an "integral change" along with a "country agreement".
The sectoral meeting between the unions and the Departament d'Educació is scheduled for this afternoon, and the consultation announced by the organizations will reach the entire educational community even if a preliminary agreement emerges from that meeting.