The fourth meeting between the Department of Education and Vocational Training and the teaching unions ended this Friday without an agreement on the salary improvement for teachers and other professionals in the sector in Catalonia. The parties have scheduled a new meeting for next Tuesday with the intention of bringing their positions closer.
The main clash is in the distance between the scope that the ministry attributes to its offer and the assessment made by one of the unions with the most weight in the negotiation. The department headed by Esther Niubó maintains that its proposal would benefit 104,591 professionals, while Ustec considers it insufficient and rejects that its counterproposal has not been taken as a basis.
Education proposed three new supplements for 104,591 professionals
During Friday's meeting, the ministry presented a remuneration proposal that incorporates three new salary supplements. The Department of Education argued that this package would have an impact on 104,591 workers in the educational field.
The negotiation thus reaches a fourth meeting without a resolution, even though both parties maintain the table open. The next attempt to agree on a way out has been set for Tuesday, when the differences over salary improvements will be put back on the table.
Ustec warned that it will leave the table if there is no new offer
Ustec rejected the proposal presented by the ministry and defined it as insufficient in terms of remuneration. The union also reproached the department for not having used the union's counterproposal submitted a few days ago as a reference.
In addition, it demanded that Education bring a new approach on Tuesday. Ustec warned that it will abandon the negotiation table if the offer presented by the ministry does not meet the union's demands.
The next meeting has been scheduled for Tuesday, after a fourth meeting without agreement held this Friday between the department headed by Esther Niubó and the teaching unions.