The government sees it as "very complicated" to improve the agreement with teachers one day before the nationwide strike

BarcelonaOn the fourth day of the teachers' strike and one day before the nationwide school closures, the government has insisted that improving the agreement signed with the CCOO and UGT unions—but not with Ustec, the largest teachers' union—is not on the table. The Minister of Economy, Alícia Romero, reiterated this after approving a supplementary budget of €5,988.65 million, which will cover expenses once the budget is withdrawn to continue negotiations with the ERC party. Romero warned that "having more resources is very difficult without a budget" and also admitted that if the budget were approved, it would be "very complicated" to improve the agreement with the teachers because "it's a very, very large increase." "The government has made a very significant effort, and we should all be aware of that," she asserted.

This Thursday, the Ustec, Secondary School Teachers, CGT, and La Intersindical unions called on teachers in the Vallès, Maresme, and Girona regions to strike. From early morning, teachers, doctors, and farmers with tractors joined together in a joint protest and blocked the AP-7 highway in Sant Gregori and Sant Julià de Ramis, in the Gironès region. In addition, teachers also held a slow march from Salt in Girona and blocked the C-58 highway in Sant Quirze del Vallès (Vallès Occidental) and the C-32 highway in Mataró (Maresme). Regarding the blockade in Sant Julià de Ramis, approximately 300 protesters and 40 tractors from Revolta Pagesa mobilized, blocking the AP-7 highway in both directions, while up to 700 people gathered in Girona, in front of the Fontajau pavilion. The protesters, teachers and farmers, simulated a classroom, using desks and a blackboard. Approximately 300 protesters and 40 tractors from Revolta Pagesa then moved towards the western access to Girona via the AP-7 to block the southbound highway. Initially, the Mossos d'Esquadra (Catalan police) only allowed them to pass on foot, but the tractors entered via a side entrance. Meanwhile, another group of protesters blocked the northbound highway at the southern access point to the city near Vilablareix. Regarding the strike's impact, the Department of Education has reported that as of 1 p.m., 29.62% of the teachers called to strike had participated. In contrast, the Ustec union claims a 70% participation rate. The main demonstration of this fourth day of the strike took place at midday in Girona, where more than 4,000 teachers and families took to the streets to protest the "betrayal agreement" reached by the government with the CCOO and UGT unions "as an attempt to falsely resolve the conflict." The protest was divided into two columns, which marched from opposite ends of the city and converged in the center. Afterward, all the demonstrators gathered in front of the Government Delegation building, and some of them entered the building. Doctors also participated.

Doctors also went on strike this Thursday and plan to join the demonstration called by teachers on Friday in Barcelona. Today, the Catalan Health Department estimated that 5.3% of doctors in the centers of the Catalan Public Healthcare System (Siscat) participated in the strike, according to provisional data. However, Doctors of Catalonia, the largest union and organizer of the strike, put the figure at 31%. In fact, the union transformed Barcelona's Plaça Universitat into a public forum this Thursday for doctors to explain their working conditions and how these impact patient health and care. Afterwards, the floor was opened to the public to share their experiences as users of the healthcare system. "The efforts we make take hours away from our lives," warned Irene Bermell, the union's deputy general secretary.