Teachers Strike Hits Badalona Schools Again

Teachers in Barcelona, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Badalona, Sant Adrià de Besòs and Santa Coloma de Gramenet resumed strike action on Monday, May 18, in the latest round of a labor dispute over pay, staffing and classroom support. The stoppage covered public schools in Barcelona run by the Consorci d'Educació de Barcelona and schools across the rest of the Barcelonès region, according to La Vanguardia. A teachers' gathering was scheduled for 12 p.m. at Jardinets de Gràcia in Barcelona. The walkout was the fifth protest call organized by education unions for May and early June. ### Which schools were affected in this round of walkouts? Barcelona and the surrounding Barcelonès municipalities were the focus of the May 18 territorial strike, rather than all of Catalonia. La Vanguardia said the call covered public education centers in Barcelona tied to the city education consortium, as well as schools in Badalona, L'Hospitalet, Sant Adrià de Besòs and Santa Coloma de Gramenet. (lavanguardia.com) Betevé reported that Barcelona faces seven strike days in total between May 7 and June 5 when nursery-school stoppages are included, with five dates affecting schools and institutes more broadly: May 12, May 18, May 27, June 2 and June 5. The same calendar applies to the rest of Barcelonès for the territorial days. ### What are the unions demanding from the Catalan government? (lavanguardia.com) USTEC-STEs, Professors de Secundària (ASPEPC), CGT and Intersindical have framed the dispute around salaries, inclusion support, class sizes, workload and staffing. El Periódico said the pay rise is the main demand in the current mobilizations, alongside more resources for inclusion plans in classrooms and less bureaucracy. (beteve.cat) USTEC said on its website that the strike calendar was called because negotiations with the Departament d'Educació i Formació Professional had not produced what it described as a satisfactory proposal. The union listed recovery of lost purchasing power, lower pupil-to-teacher ratios, expanded staffing, reduced administrative workload and better conditions for education support staff among its demands. (elperiodico.com) Catalan News reported on the May 12 Barcelona march that protesters were also demanding more resources for student support, especially for pupils with greater needs, and smaller classes. USTEC spokesperson Iolanda Segura said then that Education Minister Esther Niubó should resign if she did not bring a "firm proposal" to negotiations. ### Why are some unions still striking after a government deal was announced? (sindicat.net) CCOO and UGT signed an agreement with the Catalan government that included a salary increase of 3,000 euros a year and 50 euros per night for school-trip overnight stays, among other measures, according to El Periódico. But USTEC, ASPEPC, CGT and Intersindical have said that package does not resolve the broader dispute and have continued with their own strike calendar. (catalannews.com) El Periódico said the education department had opened the door in a May 15 meeting to studying a salary improvement beyond the 3,000 euros annual increase already agreed with CCOO and UGT. That shift came after the first week of stoppages but did not end the strike calls. ### What has the government said as the protests continue? (elperiodico.com) The Catalan government has defended the agreement already signed with CCOO and UGT while signaling that talks would continue. Catalan News quoted government spokesperson Sílvia Paneque as saying the package represented an unprecedented 2 billion euro investment after years of underfunding, while also saying officials would listen to unions' concerns. (elperiodico.com) El Periódico reported on May 19 that the education department was due to deliver a new proposal to unions that day ahead of a meeting scheduled for Wednesday. La Vanguardia had reported earlier that a meeting first planned for Tuesday was postponed at the department's request until Wednesday. ### What comes next in the strike calendar? (catalannews.com) May 19 was scheduled as the next territorial strike day in other parts of Catalonia, including Maresme, Vallès Occidental and Vallès Oriental, according to El Periódico's strike calendar. Barcelona and Barcelonès then face further broad stoppages on May 27, June 2 and June 5, while nursery schools have a separate strike day on May 20. (elperiodico.com) June 5 is also set for a unitary demonstration in Barcelona marking the end of the current strike calendar, Betevé said. Before that, the immediate test will be Wednesday's meeting between the education department and the striking unions, after officials promised a new proposal on Tuesday. (beteve.cat) (elperiodico.com)