Teachers across Catalonia, including in Tarragona, are on strike today, 27 May 2026, as talks with the Department of Education continue. It is the eighth stoppage in the current cycle of protests, and the second time the strike has been called for the whole of Catalonia.
Unions and the department are due to meet again this afternoon after making some progress on Tuesday. The organising unions, including USTEC, Professors de Secundària, CGT and Intersindical, say the latest proposal is still not enough for an agreement.
The dispute centres on compensation for the 2012 cut to sexenios, the seniority payments that recognise professional development and experience. The department has proposed a compensation scheme, and on Tuesday it offered a salary supplement of about €40 for all teachers, but unions say they want a clearer timeline and payment for the years affected by the cut.
Unions said they welcomed the fact that the proposal was linear, meaning it would apply equally to all teachers, but they still consider it insufficient. The issue is now expected to be discussed again at a new meeting of the Sectoral Table this afternoon. For background on education coverage, see our news page.
Further strikes are already planned across Catalonia if no agreement is reached. Tomorrow there is a stoppage in Maresme and Vallès, followed by Baix Llobregat and Penedès on Friday. Next week, strikes are scheduled for Girona and Central Catalonia on Monday, Barcelonès on Tuesday, Tarragona and Terres de l'Ebre on Wednesday, and Lleida, Alt Pirineu and Aran on Thursday.
A full Catalan strike is planned for next Friday, although that could still be called off if the negotiations lead to an agreement. Teachers have also organised mobilisations across the country to coincide with the stoppages.
