STEI and USO demand improvements in working conditions in private schools: "Companies have improved, but workers haven't."

PalmThe STEI and USO unions held a demonstration this Tuesday in front of the Balearic Islands Parliament to demand improved working conditions and salaries for teachers in state-subsidized private schools. During the protest, participants demanded the reinstatement of the 2.9% salary increase already granted to public school teachers by court order, to recover what they were not paid in 2020 and 2021 by order of the government at the time. They also demanded equal rights and working conditions with those in the public sector. The demonstrators displayed banners and chanted slogans such as "Where is the 2.9%? Marga Prohens has forgotten us!" and "We are not second-class teachers!" They also shouted slogans like "Vera, listen: state-subsidized private schools aren't going under!" and "Equal pay now! Same obligations, same rights!" demanding an end to the disparities between teachers in state and state-subsidized private schools.

The secretary of the USO Education Federation, Juan Carlos Lorenzo, has denounced the Balearic Government for neglecting state-subsidized private schools. "We've heard speeches, and for more than half of this legislative term we've been asking for negotiations on a new agreement, but nothing has happened," he stated. Lorenzo explained that the 2.9 percent increase already granted to public schools by court order following a lawsuit from the STEI teachers' union must be recovered, but that this increase is not binding on the state-subsidized private sector. "The State-Subsidized Private Schools Committee must be convened to sign an agreement," he demanded.

The union spokesperson defended the need for a reduction in teaching load and the equalization of seniority bonuses, as well as the recognition of teachers in state-subsidized private schools under the same conditions as those in public schools. "State-subsidized private schools do the same work as public schools," he emphasized.

Further mobilizations are not ruled out.

For his part, the STEI representative, Ramon Mondéjar, denounced the stalled improvements in state-subsidized private education. "For some time now, there have only been stalled negotiation sessions," he explained. Mondéjar pointed out that the 2023 educational framework agreement (signed with the Pact) is on hold and that the six-year professional development bonuses were supposed to be implemented in 2024, as was the reduction in teaching load. "We will file 4,000 claims, and school administrations will do so as well, because we have the right to recover the money that has been taken from us," he announced. The STEI spokesperson warned that if their demands are not met, they will mobilize more forcefully. "The business side has improved a lot, but we workers have been left behind. Resources have been improved that perhaps weren't necessary, but not the working conditions," he concluded. He also demanded "equal treatment in all aspects of education." According to reports, the subsidized private school roundtable did not meet to discuss the recovery of that 2.9%, despite the STEI union's request. Meanwhile, public school teachers have already received 65% of the outstanding salary in their September paychecks and have an agreement to receive the remainder in February 2026.