Teachers across Catalonia held a full education strike today, with protests and road closures reported in Barcelona, Lleida, Granollers, Salt and Torredembarra. The action affected traffic on major routes, including the AP-7 and the A-2, while schools and education centres also saw disruption.
The Department of Education said turnout was 8.43% from 33.17% of centres by 9.30am. Unions said participation had reached 60% by 11am. The strike was called by USTEC, Professors de Secundària, CGT and Intersindical, after a preliminary meeting with the Department yesterday.
Unions say they want better working conditions and salaries, smaller class sizes, and measures to support inclusive education. They say further talks are needed with the Generalitat to reach an agreement. For background on the wider education briefings and related coverage, see our news tag page.
On the roads, protesters blocked the AP-7 at Salt, Torredembarra and Granollers, and the A-2 in Lleida. In Salt, demonstrators reached the AP-7 via the hard shoulder and blocked both directions. In Torredembarra, nearly a thousand protesters first entered the northbound carriageway before also closing the southbound lanes.
In Barcelona, the protest began at Pla de Palau and moved to Plaça de les Drassanes. Teachers called for better working conditions and quality public education, and chanted against police presence in schools. Midway through the march, it joined with teachers from state-subsidised private schools, and thousands of people in yellow T-shirts walked through Ciutat Vella in the heat.
In Lleida, more than 500 teachers, professors and students marched from the Official Language School along the C-12 road to Escoles Alba. In Granollers, thousands gathered during the International Congress of Educating Cities, where secondary school teacher Alícia Navalón said the action was meant to make their voices heard. The strike is the fourth general education strike of the academic year in Catalonia, with more protests planned until 5 June.