Teachers' strike intensifies in València

Valencian public-school teachers took an indefinite strike into a fourth week on Thursday, keeping up pressure on the regional government after police intervention at a protest outside the education ministry in València drew official scrutiny. The walkout began on May 11 in the non-university public system and has centered on staffing levels, class sizes, pay and workload, according to union and regional government statements. A June 3 podcast cited València as the focal point of the latest escalation and said police had been deployed during strike-related demonstrations. Reporting by Spanish outlets in the past week shows that the confrontation outside the Conselleria d'Educació came on May 31, with fresh marches then set for June 2 and June 4. ### When did the police confrontation happen? May 31 was the date of the confrontation that sharpened attention on the strike. Valencia Plaza reported that thousands of teachers gathered around the Conselleria d'Educació on Avenida de Campanar that evening during a new negotiating session that again ended without agreement. The outlet said images recorded by demonstrators showed police charges and rising tension inside and outside the ministry building. (europapress.es) June 1 brought an official response from Pilar Bernabé, the Spanish government's delegate in the Valencian region. Bernabé said the image of a National Police officer pushing a woman taking part in the protest was "inaceptable" and said an "exhaustive" investigation would be opened to establish what happened and whether responsibilities should be assigned. (valenciaplaza.com) ### Which unions are leading the strike, and how long has it been running? May 11 was the first day of the indefinite strike in Valencian public non-university education. Europa Press reported that STEPV, CCOO, UGT and CSIF called the stoppage, with support from ANPE, after accusing the regional education department of refusing a "real negotiation" over their demands. The Conselleria said nearly 24% of staff had joined the strike by 10 a.m. on that opening day. (elperiodic.com) June 2 marked the 17th day of the strike, RTVE reported, as teachers marched again in València and about 200 educators also began an indefinite encampment in Plaza de la Virgen. RTVE said ANPE and CSIF were still negotiating with the Conselleria, while other unions maintained a harder line. ### What are the two sides still fighting over? (europapress.es) May 19 was when the Conselleria de Educación presented what it called a "definitive" offer to unlock the dispute. Europa Press said the package covered seven areas, including salaries, infrastructure, staffing and class-size ratios, and proposed a gross pay increase of 200 euros a month, phased in from September 2026 to January 2028. The department said that would amount to 2,800 euros gross a year. (rtve.es) The same offer left key union complaints unresolved. Europa Press said the timetable on class sizes would not bring infant classes down to 22 pupils until the 2027-28 school year, while later changes for primary, secondary and baccalaureate stages would stretch into 2028-29 and 2029-30. Valencia Plaza and STEPV said STEPV, CCOO and UGT later rejected the ministry's negotiating format and said the dispute was being unnecessarily prolonged. (europapress.es) ### Why did València become the center of the latest phase? June 1 and June 2 turned València into the visible center of the dispute. Valencia Plaza reported a "spontaneous" teacher protest through the city center on June 1 after the Campanar confrontation, while unions then set new demonstrations in València, Alicante and Castelló for June 2 and June 4. (europapress.es) June 2 also brought a new tactic in the city center. Europa Press said striking teachers started an "indefinite" encampment in Plaza de la Virgen, outside the formal protest calendar announced by the unions, with organizers saying they intended to "defend the square." ### What happens next in the dispute? (valenciaplaza.com) June 4 was the next date fixed in the unions' calendar. Europa Press and Valencia Plaza said STEPV, CCOO and UGT called for an 11 a.m. march in València from Plaza del Ayuntamiento to Plaza de la Virgen, while Alicante was due to hold an evening demonstration and unions planned assemblies on other days. (europapress.es) The regional government has also shifted part of the process online. Valencia Plaza reported that some of the smaller sector meetings planned for this week were moved to telematic format, while STEPV, CCOO and UGT said they would not attend without a new negotiating document from the Conselleria. (valenciaplaza.com) (europapress.es)