Demonstrators laid school desks across Madrid’s A-3 on the fourth day of an open-ended education strike. Police cleared the road, which reopened shortly after 9am.
At about 8:30am, demonstrators placed school desks across the A-3 exit ramp towards the M-30, at kilometre 5 in Madrid’s Moratalaz district.
It was morning rush hour, and vehicles backed up at the entrance to the city. One estimate put the crowd at about 200. Spain’s Directorate General of Traffic, or DGT, reported the protest and the return to normal traffic through Europa Press.
Police intervened and the demonstrators left the road. Traffic returned to normal shortly after 9am on 19 October.
The action came on the fourth day of an open-ended strike across public education in the Community of Madrid. The walkout began on 14 October and involves about 65,000 teachers outside the university sector. Participants wore green shirts in support of public education. Some also wore yellow clothing associated with the strike in nursery schools.
Unions say they want to stop the deterioration of the public education system. They have accused the government of Isabel Díaz Ayuso of failing to engage with the sector and mistreating it institutionally.
The unions want weekly teaching periods reduced to 17 in Secondary Education. They are seeking the same limit for vocational training, while the proposed limit for Primary Education is 22. They also want smaller classes and stronger guidance teams.
Other demands include better special-education provision and more support for pupils with special educational needs. The unions are calling for measures against educational segregation. They also want link classrooms restored and the current bilingual education model abolished.
On pay, the strikers are seeking a monthly increase of €600 and equal pay. They want a hazard allowance for staff in Special Education. Their demands also include an emergency plan for vocational training. These are proposals from the strikers, not agreed pay increases or changes to policy.
The strike covers public education at every level except universities. Groups from Universidad Complutense have joined the protests, as have groups from Universidad Rey Juan Carlos.
CCOO backs the walkout. CGT and CNT have also called for action. Solidaridad Obrera, STEM and UGT are among the other unions supporting it, alongside the platforms Educación Especial Digna, Menos Lectivas and Queremos FP.
CSIF has also called a strike and organised separate protest events. Organisers put participation at 70% on the first day and 60% on the second.
Further demonstrations were planned for 19 October outside the regional education ministry and in central Madrid. A rally at Plaza de Oriente was scheduled to conclude the series of protests. A previous strike report covered a teachers’ march to Sol on the third day.
