Education unions in Catalonia have called a strike for 9 June, the same day Pope Leo XIV is due to begin his visit to the region. The move follows the rejection of a preliminary agreement offered by the government, according to union representatives.
The USTEC, CGT, Intersindical, CNT and COS unions said they want to “block Catalonia” during the pontiff’s trip so their demands are heard. Pope Leo XIV is scheduled to arrive by plane on Tuesday at midday, then go directly to Barcelona Cathedral for a prayer that will open his official programme in Catalonia.
In the evening, a large prayer vigil with musical performances and a final prayer with Pope Leo XIV is planned at the Lluís Companys Olympic Stadium. The pontiff is expected to arrive in the Popemobile, and about 40,000 people are expected to attend.
The following day, the Pope is due to visit Brians I women’s prison before travelling to Montserrat Abbey, where he will pray the rosary and have lunch with the monks. He will then meet the community of Sant Agustí del Raval parish, before a solemn mass at the Sagrada Família, where he will bless and inaugurate the Jesus Christ tower. Before that, he will tour Rosselló and Sardenya streets to the basilica.
On the teachers’ mobilisation, the unions have urged Education Minister Esther Niubó to negotiate with the strike committee. They have asked her not to negotiate with the unions that have already backed the preliminary agreement, namely UGT, CCOO and Professors de Secundària.
Ramon Espadaler, the minister responsible for the Directorate General of Religious Affairs, has asked teachers for “respect” and urged them not to “instrumentalise the Pope’s visit”. He told Betevé that the visit should go ahead “with the maximum normalcy”, adding that freedom of expression and demonstrations are not incompatible with Pope Leo XIV’s visit. Espadaler described the pontiff’s arrival in Catalonia as a “transcendent event with global impact”.
For more Catalonia news, see our news coverage.
