A Worsening Conflict
The tension between education unions and the Education Department of the Generalitat de Catalunya has reached a new level after the fourth meeting without agreement. The Ustec and CGT Ensenyament unions have described the Government's proposal as unacceptable, which includes a 50% increase in tutoring supplements and the creation of three new supplements.
Iolanda Segura, spokesperson for Ustec·Stes, made it clear that what they are seeking is a linear salary improvement for all teachers, arguing that the current proposal excludes a large part of the educational staff who do not carry out tutoring. “If there is no proposal that meets our demands by Tuesday, there is no point in calling us,” Segura warned, also mentioning that a strike will take place on Wednesday if there are no significant advances.
According to data provided by the Government, more than 100,000 teachers, from both public and private education, could benefit from this improvement. However, Segura emphasized that many educators would be excluded from the proposed increase. The situation has led the unions to consider more forceful actions if negotiations remain stalled.
Apart from the announcement of a strike scheduled for June 5, Segura mentioned the possibility of leveraging events such as the Selectivity tests or even the Pope's visit to increase pressure on the Government. “We must use every available opportunity to make our voice heard,” she stated.
From CGT Ensenyament, its general secretary Laura Gené criticized the Government for coming to meetings without adequately preparing their proposals. According to her, what was presented does not reflect the real needs of the teaching collective and excludes a third of the public educational staff. Gené insisted that it is essential to reach a fair agreement before June 5 or they will be forced to escalate the conflict.
Ester Vila, public representative of CC.OO. Educació, also expressed her concern regarding how educational resources are being distributed and emphasized the importance of having stable funding to ensure real improvements in the education sector. Vila reminded that her union has promoted a Popular Legislative Initiative (ILP) to allocate 6% of GDP to education and called for support from parliamentary groups.
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