The indefinite strike by non-university teachers in Madrid, which began on 14 October, is continuing into its third week. After suspending all events because of the Urda railway accident, teaching unions are resuming their mobilisations. The six public universities in the region will also join the action with strikes on 4 and 5 November.

The teachers’ strike committee is calling for Education Minister Mercedes Zarzalejo to meet with representatives and address the demands of public-sector staff. Participation in recent days has varied across the region, with stronger support reported in municipalities in southern Madrid than in northern areas.

Non-university teachers are seeking a reduction in teaching hours: from 19 to 17 hours in secondary education, vocational training and special-regime education, and from 25 to 22 hours in early-years and primary education. Their demands also include lower pupil-to-teacher ratios, additional resources for supporting diverse educational needs, a monthly salary increase of 600 euros, less administrative work and improvements to school facilities, including climate-control measures.

The protests, which have brought together hundreds of teachers and students, have so far been marked by tensions and police interventions. Reported incidents include police action against students during an information picket at Complutense University, clashes outside the Madrid Chamber of Commerce during a protest held as regional president Isabel Díaz Ayuso was due to leave, and police interventions outside the Education Ministry during the strike.

Zarzalejo has categorically rejected negotiations with the strike committee and has said that improvements should be addressed through the sectoral negotiating forum. The committee argues that the organisations behind the strike do not take part in that forum and that their demands go beyond its scope.

The six public universities—Alcalá de Henares, Autónoma de Madrid, Complutense, Carlos III, Politécnica and Rey Juan Carlos—have been called to strike by the Coordinating Committee in Defence of Madrid’s Public University. The action is aimed at what organisers describe as the financial suffocation, privatisation and elitisation of university education.

The university mobilisation will also denounce what organisers call repression of the academic community. They are demanding recognition of their right to strike and that police refrain from intervening against student demonstrations.

The platforms have described as a “scam” the funding model agreed in March by the Madrid regional government and university rectors, which provides for 14.8 billion euros through 2031. According to the groups, university funding remains at 0.4% of regional GDP, below the 1% target set by the Organic Law of the University System and below the national and European averages of 0.75% and 0.92%, respectively.

Eva Aladro, a spokesperson for the Public University Platform, told Efe that organisers expect widespread participation, involving both teaching staff and students.

Sources: La Vanguardia.