In Catalonia, the USTEC teachers’ union has warned that talks with the education department could end if Tuesday’s meeting does not bring real progress on salaries and inclusive education resources.
Iolanda Segura, USTEC’s spokesperson, said the union has been in talks with department officials since mid-week. She said agreement on inclusive education may still be possible, but major differences remain over pay. For background on the union, see our news coverage.
USTEC, along with CGT, Intersindical and COS, rejected the department’s latest offer. The unions want a salary rise for all staff, while the administration has proposed specific pay complements instead. Segura said that does not make up for the loss of purchasing power caused by inflation.
The union is seeking a monthly increase of €400 to €500 for all staff, along with what it calls recovery of “debt from stages”, a reference to salary adjustments for thousands of workers who say they are still on unequal pay. Segura said this is “not a salary increase, it is a recovery”, and described the situation as an “injustice”.
The education department is said to be working within the framework of an existing agreement with CCOO and UGT. It wants any pay rise linked to specific tasks, such as tutoring complements or extra pay for work in highly complex centres. Segura said that would create inequalities because not all staff would benefit, including some primary specialists such as music or English teachers.
On inclusive education, the unions are asking for 6,500 new staff posts, which they value at €300 million over two years. Their plan includes an early childhood education specialist in every I3 classroom and a social integrator or social educator in every school. The department has offered 2,301 new positions, which Segura said could still be improved through negotiation.
The two sides are due to meet again on Tuesday. Segura said the union wants a general agreement that also covers reducing bureaucracy and increasing democracy within schools, and warned that if there is no progress, the talks may be over.