Teachers Launch Indefinite Protest in Central Valencia After Negotiations Collapse. An indefinite teachers' protest continues in central Valencia. Demonstrators are demanding negotiations with authorities regarding wages and working conditions. So far, officials have not intervened, despite an upcoming public holiday.
For the second night in a row, teachers have continued an open-ended protest in the historic center of Valencia: about 150 educators have set up tents and shade structures right on Plaza de la Virgen. The protest began after negotiations between unions and the regional government on salaries, workload, and infrastructure reached a deadlock. Organizers state they do not intend to leave the square until dialogue with the authorities resumes.
The participants have organized their daily life on their own: around 75 tents have been set up in the square, shade structures erected, and colleagues and families bring food and water. According to one participant, teachers believe the authorities are ignoring their demands and are not offering new solutions. The camp operates with a horizontal structure—decisions are made in general assemblies, and although trade unions support the protest, they are not involved in organizing the action itself.
Valencia mayor María José Catalá (PP) said she had contacted the sub-delegation of the government regarding possible intervention, but received a response that the authorities do not plan to disperse the protesters. The government delegation emphasizes that the situation remains within the bounds of a peaceful protest: teachers are not violating public order, and the issue of dismantling the camp is under municipal jurisdiction.
The protest is taking place on the eve of the Corpus Christi holiday, when Plaza de la Virgen and the adjacent cathedral become the center of mass events. Despite this, the authorities have not yet taken steps to clear the area. Teachers are insisting on the need to revise working conditions, reduce workload, and increase school funding. They demand that the authorities return to discussions on all contentious issues, including salaries, class sizes, administrative burden, and the state of infrastructure.
Negotiations between the STEPV, UGT and CCOO unions and the regional government were suspended after the authorities agreed to raise salaries only with two organizations—CSIF and ANPE. Most unions are demanding a return to discussions on this issue, but the authorities are not making concessions so far.
Camp participants note that support from colleagues and parents remains high: food and water are brought in daily, and a special fund has been set up to collect donations. Daily life in the camp is organized through the distribution of responsibilities among working groups: some are in charge of logistics, others handle communications and events.
The situation with teachers' protests in Valencia reflects a broader conflict between the teaching community and regional authorities, which has been ongoing for the fourth week. Similar disputes over working conditions and the recruitment of new specialists have arisen before, for example, the issue of allowing foreign assistants in Spanish schools has also caused tension between the regions and the central government.
According to RUSSPAIN, in recent years there has been growing pressure on the education system in Spain: teachers are facing increased workloads, and funding for schools is often the subject of disputes between the regions and Madrid. In Valencia, as in other autonomous communities, teacher protests could affect the organization of mass events and the operation of educational institutions if the parties do not reach a compromise soon.
