Nursery school educators across Catalonia went on strike on Thursday, 4 May, to advocate for the 0-3 age cycle as an essential educational stage. They are demanding more resources for children and better pay, citing high child-to-staff ratios and a need for professional recognition.
Demonstrations took place at Jardinets de Gràcia in Barcelona, with further protests in Lleida, Tarragona, and Girona. Another strike is planned for Barcelona on 20 May. The Department of Education reported a 9.01% participation rate in the 40 Generalitat-owned nursery schools and 42 rural schools incorporating the first cycle of early childhood education, based on data collected by 10:45am from 45.53% of centres. The department does not have data for municipal, state-subsidised, or private nursery schools, which make up the majority of public nursery schools.
Demands for Improved Conditions
The striking workers, organised by Plataforma 0-3 in Catalonia, are calling for salary increases and better working conditions, including improvements in occupational health. They argue that current ratios are too high, hindering their ability to provide adequate care and education for young children.
This strike marks the start of a series of education strikes scheduled for May and June. General strikes in schools and institutes across Catalonia will begin next Tuesday. In total, five strike days are planned for each region: three national days and two regional days.
Union Disagreement with Government Accord
The strikes are being called by USTEC, Professors de Secundària, CGT, and Intersindical. These unions are members of the Sectoral Bargaining Table but did not sign the agreement reached by the government with CCOO and UGT in March, considering it insufficient. Since then, the striking unions have urged the Department of Education to return to negotiations to go beyond the existing agreement.
However, officials from the Department of Education have stated their willingness to engage in dialogue but only within the parameters of the current agreement. The unions hope to push for further concessions and a more comprehensive accord to address their concerns regarding resources, pay, and working conditions for early childhood educators.
