The teachers of the public schools and institutes of the Community of Madrid present a new calendar of mobilizations to demand from the regional government a reduction in teaching hours, a salary equalization, effective lowering of ratios and eliminating bureaucracy. After nine months of unsuccessful negotiation between unions and the Ministry of Education, Science and Universities to approve a new Sectoral Agreement, the teaching staff will return to strike. Likewise, faculty representatives warn that there will be more actions if their claims are not considered.
Given the stagnation of the negotiations, the unions of the Sectorial Board of Education, Workers’ Commissions (CC OO), the independent Union, at the service of public education teachers (ANPE), CSIF and the General Union of Workers (UGT), have set for on October 29 and November 21 strike days in all schools and institutes in the region and a massive demonstration. The teachers’ representatives justify the decision by “the inaction of the Minister of Education.”
“We understand that the Ministry does not want to negotiate anything with us and that is why we continue with our calendar,” said Martín, who details that the decision was adopted after the Ministry suspended the meeting on September 12 at the last minute. Among the demands they raise is the reduction of teaching hours in Vocational Training institutes and centers to 6 p.m. and arrive at 11 p.m. in Primary and Infant.
In addition, salary equalization with the rest of the autonomous communities is required, a reduction in ratios, a sufficient number of teachers to address diversity and a shock plan against bureaucracy. Added to all these requests is the question of the days of the educational centers, after the announcement that the new schools in the region will have a split day. “It is important that teachers and families can continue to decide what type of day is best for each school,” indicated the head of Education in Madrid at CSIF, Miguel Ángel Martínez.
“If the regional government does not sit down to negotiate decent working conditions for Madrid teachers, The mobilization calendar will be expanded in the following quarter, delaying said confrontation until the end of the course if necessary,” they indicated in a statement. The strikes coincide with the preparation of the new Budgets of the Community of Madrid, teachers and professors hope that their claims will be collected in specific items.
The rallies start on October 16 with a rally in front of the Ministry of Education at 11:00 a.m. and performances in educational centers. On October 29, the first day of the general strike would take place and a demonstration that will run from Neptuno to Puerta del Sol at 5:30 p.m. On November 14 at 10:00 a.m. there will be protests again in front of the Ministry and on November 21 the second day of strikes will take place with another march to Sol at 5:30 p.m.
In December 2023, the Community of Madrid and the unions began negotiations to renew the Sector Agreement that affects teachers. However, The dialogue was cut short after the regional government withdrew its initial proposal in March, where a substantial reduction in teaching hours was included. After that and several more meetings, the advisor, Emilio Viciana, proposed to the teaching staff a progressive decrease in Secondary and Vocational Training that would begin to be applied in the 2026-2027 academic year, going from 20 hours per week to 19 hours, where tutors would be excluded from this reduction.
The measure was rejected by all the unions that They described it as “insufficient” and “offensive.” This triggered the call for strikes on May 8 and 21. For its part, the regional Executive stated that the reduction in hours could not be addressed more quickly “due to the complicated economic, national and international situation” and the disbursement that was already being made with the reduction of the ratios.
