The new school year in Catalonia is approaching amid a renewed standoff between the regional government and Ustec, the leading union in public education. Classes are scheduled to resume on the 8th, and teachers are preparing to strike after negotiations failed to settle basic disputes over staffing and resources. The conflict brought 23 days of strikes in the previous academic year. Neither side shows signs of backing down.
Government spokesperson Sílvia Paneque said negotiations are over and it is time to implement the agreements reached. Ustec says the process is far from complete, arguing that partial improvements do not address ongoing challenges in schools. The union is calling for more personnel and better support for inclusive education, and warns that the deadlock will continue without further talks. Ustec also criticized the government for citing more than 200 meetings with unions, saying those numbers are no substitute for direct negotiations at the union table.
The latest agreement, which Ustec initially signed but later refused to ratify, includes a €400 salary increase over four years and 6,000 additional teaching positions. Still, 60% of teachers who voted rejected the deal, citing too little progress on core demands. The union has also noted that measures such as expanding school nursing and adding reception classrooms were already included in earlier agreements from March and May.
The dispute reaches beyond the strike: more than a thousand schools have decided to suspend field trips and excursions for the coming year. The move has already hit the cultural sector, with bookings at related facilities noticeably down. The government has expressed concern but left the door open to possible adjustments. Education Minister Esther Niubó is expected to provide further details at the end of the month. The government had previously agreed to pay teachers €50 per night for accompanying students on trips, aiming to address some of their grievances.
Financial pressures remain basic to the dispute. Official data puts public education spending in Catalonia at 4.05% of GDP in 2024, below the Spanish average of 4.46% and well short of the 6% target set by the education community. The Síndic de Greuges estimates a funding shortfall of nearly €430 million for public school places, with deficits of €572.8 per primary student and €782.1 per secondary student. Ustec says the figures show why investment must rise, particularly as classroom complexity continues to grow.
Catalonia's education system is also under broader scrutiny. Recent issues, including disruption to PISA test data caused by sampling errors, have fueled debate over the region's education policies. For example, the loss of reliable student performance data has already sparked political fallout, putting more pressure on authorities to address systemic challenges.
As the school year approaches, the dispute is poised to affect students and families across the wider community. Both sides say further developments are possible in the days ahead.
