More than a thousand teachers and educators demonstrated this Thursday in Tarragona and cut off traffic for more than half an hour in Plaça Imperial Tarraco before advancing along Rambla Nova to Carrer Sant Francesc, where the territorial education services are located. The blockades were lifted around 4:30 p.m. at all affected points.
The protest coincided with a new meeting between the unions and the Departament d'Educació, opened in the afternoon after a meeting without agreement on Wednesday. While negotiations remained open, the organizing bodies placed the strike turnout between 65% and 70% in most educational centers in the regions of Tarragona and Terres de l'Ebre.
Unions presented Educació with a proposal for 6,400 new positions
USTEC, CGT, Intersindical, and ASPEPC·SPS maintained street pressure while simultaneously presenting a counter-proposal on salaries and the creation of 6,400 new positions at the negotiating table. The organizations' objective is to incorporate educational allocations into the new budget of Salvador Illa's government.
"We need to apply a lot of pressure, the time is now" - Noé Muñiz, spokesperson for Ustec-Stes
During the march, the organizers also criticized UGT and CCOO for having signed agreements with the Government that, in their opinion, do not represent the educational community. The criticism was repeatedly voiced at the front of the march and at various points along the route through the center of Tarragona.
Aida Muntané, from Intersindical, stated that these organizations are "putting spokes in the wheels" and rejected the proposals of councilor Esther Niubó, which she described as "crumbs." Muntané demanded more staff and more resources to reduce class sizes and guarantee inclusive education.
The protest in Tarragona called for Esther Niubó's resignation
The demonstration advanced from Plaça Imperial Tarraco along Rambla Nova to the headquarters of the territorial education services on Carrer Sant Francesc. During this route, attendees demanded Esther Niubó's resignation and questioned Salvador Illa's leadership.
Furthermore, the demonstrators demanded the withdrawal of the program that foresees the presence of Mossos d'Esquadra in educational centers. This demand was added to the labor and staffing reinforcement demands that were the focus of the strike day in Tarragona and Terres de l'Ebre.
"We have a level of stress and anxiety from not being able to fulfill our task, which is to educate in conditions. We are here for the students" - Nacho Moralejo, professor
The mobilization ended with the lifting of the blockades around 4:30 PM, after a day in which the unions placed the follow-through of the strike between 65% and 70% in most centers in Tarragona and Terres de l'Ebre.