Hundreds of teachers, families, and students demonstrated this Sunday in Barcelona under the slogan “Let’s stop the social and educational emergency”.
The protest was called by the unions USTEC, CGT, Intersindical, CNT, and COS, and is presented as the last major mobilization of the academic year.
The aFFaC, social groups, and representatives of ERC, the CUP, and the Comunes also joined the march.
Demand for a major agreement for public education
The organizers of the protest want the mobilization to serve as a demand for a major agreement for public education.
The march started from the Jardinets de Gràcia and is scheduled to end in Plaça Catalunya, where various speeches will be held.
From USTEC, an appeal was made for the unity of all educational stakeholders to set shared goals and move towards a transformation of the system.
Families join with their own bloc
The Federated Associations of Student Families of Catalonia are participating in the demonstration with their own bloc under the slogan “It’s time. Families say: a major agreement for public education”.
The platform seeks to highlight the need to open a new phase of shared commitments around public schools, involving not only teachers and unions, but also families, students, and civil society.
A crisis that goes beyond the classroom
Education unions argue that the sector's problems are part of a broader crisis in public services.
Therefore, the mobilization is not limited to strictly educational demands, but also defends social rights such as access to housing and quality healthcare.
The organizers believe that the situation of public schools must be addressed within a broader framework of social protection.
Rejection of the preliminary agreement with Education
The demonstration comes ten days after teachers rejected in a consultation the preliminary agreement reached between Education and the unions CCOO, UGT, USTEC, and Profesores de Secundaria.
The "no" prevailed with 65.1% of the votes in a consultation in which 61.1% of the 99,305 professionals included in the census at the close of voting participated.
The result highlighted the sector's discontent and opened a new phase of union pressure.
Strike and protest before the Parliament
Following the consultation, teachers returned to strike on Tuesday and protested in Barcelona.
The march, under the slogan “We ask for facts, not miracles”, left Plaza Espanya and ended at the doors of the Parliament.
According to the Guardia Urbana, 6,500 people participated. The unions raised the figure to 45,000.
Letter to parliamentary groups
During that day, the unions delivered a letter to the parliamentary groups to demand greater investment in education.
The union organizations met for just under an hour with the groups that agreed to receive them: Junts, ERC, Comunes, and CUP. The PSC declined to hold that meeting.
Next appointment: Educational Assembly of Catalonia
A week after this Sunday's demonstration, the unions will meet on Saturday, June 20, at the Educational Assembly of Catalonia. Organizations that have not signed the agreement with Education this month will participate in it.
The objective will be to define the union and demands strategy for the next academic year, as well as to set priorities based on the meetings held in schools and faculties.
The academic year ends with union pressure
This Sunday's protest closes an academic year marked by educational conflict in Catalonia.
The organizers want the mobilization to serve as a starting point for a new stage of pressure, with the aim of forcing more investment, better working conditions, and broad political commitment to public education.