Nursery School Workers Strike Across Catalonia for Better Conditions

Nursery school educators across Catalonia went on strike on Thursday, 9 May, advocating for the 0-3 age cycle as an essential educational stage. They are demanding more resources for children and better pay, citing high ratios and a need for professional recognition.

Hundreds of people participated in a demonstration in central Barcelona at midday as part of the strike. Protests also took place in other areas, including Lleida, Tarragona, and Girona. Further action is planned, with nursery school workers set to strike again in Barcelona on 20 May.

Strike Impact and Broader Action

The Department of Education reported a 9.01% participation rate in the strike across the 40 nursery schools owned by the Generalitat and the 42 rural schools that include the first cycle of early childhood education. This figure was based on information from 45.53% of centres by 10:45am. However, the majority of public nursery schools are municipally owned, and the department does not have strike follow-up data for these, nor for subsidised or private centres.

This action by nursery school workers marks the start of a series of education strikes scheduled for May and June. Thursday's strike was a national call, promoted in Catalonia by Plataforma 0-3. General strikes in schools and institutes will begin next Tuesday, 14 May, with the first day affecting all of Catalonia.

Union Demands and Government Response

Each region has five strike days planned in total: three for the entire country and two specific to each territory. The strikes are organised by USTEC, Professors de Secundària, CGT, and Intersindical. These first three unions are part of the Sectoral Table but did not sign the agreement reached between the government, CCOO, and UGT in March, considering it insufficient.

Since then, the unions have urged the Department of Education to return to the negotiation table to go beyond the existing agreement. However, officials from the department have stated their willingness to engage in dialogue, but only within the parameters of the agreement already signed.