Education and unions approach positions: "Finally we speak the same language"

BarcelonaThe Government and education unions seem to be starting to understand each other after the in extremis meeting this Tuesday, a few hours before the new strike day, which remains for this Wednesday despite the -discreet- progress in negotiations. "Finally, we are speaking the same language with the Department of Education. We have been able to talk within the framework of the salary proposal we sent a few days ago," celebrated USTEC spokesperson Iolanda Segura upon leaving the meeting. From the Government, the Secretary of Educational Improvement of the Department of Education, Ignasi Giménez, has noted a "significant rapprochement" with the unions and explained that, among other things, the Department of Education has put on the table a new salary supplement of around 40 euros that would be linear, meaning it would reach all teachers, and would be collected this same year. "It doesn't reach 40 euros," admitted Giménez, who explained that they are studying if it could be extended over the years. For now, at this time, this offer would represent an investment of around 80 million euros.

Regarding the remuneration offer, the secretary of educational improvement also detailed that they have offered the unions "a compensation" for the reduction of the sexenio payments for teachers – an almost historical demand of the educational unions – and, again, referred to an "acceleration" of the 30% increase in the specific complement that the Government already agreed upon with UGT and CCCO in March and which would now be proposed to be collected in full in three years instead of four, as initially planned. With all this, according to USTEC's calculations, Education's offer would mean that in three years teachers would earn around 300 euros gross more per month. A calculation that, for now, the Government has avoided confirming.

Despite this rapprochement of positions, the USTEC spokesperson has already warned that the proposal on the table "is not enough": "We are far from an agreement, and therefore, tomorrow we have scheduled a new meeting." The meeting will be at 3 p.m., she detailed. Furthermore, she assured that they are also far from understanding each other regarding reinforcements for inclusive education and has called on all teachers to support the strike called for this Wednesday throughout the education sector by the unions USTEC, Professors de Secundària, CGT, and Intersindical. A stoppage to which teachers in subsidized schools are also called, convened by the FEUSOC union.

Although the Government has not referred to them, USTEC has explained that there are also other points in the counter-proposal that the unions presented last week that were discussed during Tuesday's meeting. Among these would be the proposal to agree on curricula with the unions, an option that the Government would have looked favorably upon, as well as the possibility of recalculating teacher ratios per group when excursions or school trips are made. In this regard, it should be remembered that the Government had already agreed to start compensating teachers who go on school trips with 50 euros per night; this activity until now did not receive any economic compensation.

Protests across the country

Awaiting a new negotiation table, this Wednesday all teachers in Catalonia are once again called to strike. In Barcelona, a protest has been called for 10 AM starting at Pla de Palau and ending at Plaça Drassanes with a round table on curricula, strike and inclusion and a "party finale" with a "popular paella". In Lleida, a demonstration has been called for 9:30 AM in front of the Official School of Languages of the city; in Tarragona, a protest has been called for 10 AM at the statue of the Naked Ones and in Girona, a demonstration has also been called for nine in the morning at the Pont del Dimoni. In addition to the calls in the four main cities of Catalonia, protests and mobilizations have also been organized throughout the country.