Teachers lash out at the Education Department: "After 30 years, we have earned 565,700 euros less than healthcare workers"

PalmTeachers in Mallorca They have made their discontent known. In front of Parliament during the plenary session, the Non-University Teaching Staff Committee, made up of the sector's unions, read a statement denouncing the management of the Ministry of Education and the "lack of truth" of Minister Antoni Vera. During the reading, the unions whistled, creating a noise that was clearly audible in the chamber as a sign of protest. Simultaneously, demonstrations were also held in Ibiza and Menorca. According to the manifesto, written by the Committee's president, Catalina Bibiloni, the handling of the 2026 competitive examination deadline was "the last straw" due to the Ministry's lack of negotiation. Furthermore, the teachers emphasized that the 2023 Framework Agreement for the Improvement of Public Education "has not been fully implemented, despite the Administration's claims that it has been gradually put into effect."

Among the pending issues, the Board recalled the third additional provision of the Balearic Islands Education Law (LEIB), which states that "within two years of the entry into force of this law, the education administration must develop a plan aimed at the progressive reduction of the maximum student-teacher ratios established in the basic regulations to allow for a minimum number of students per class." They also emphasized the need to implement the 2023-2027 Educational Infrastructure Plan to reduce class sizes to 20%, as outlined in the Agreement, and called for effective monitoring of its implementation. Regarding career advancement, the Board stated that "it falls far short of the wording of the Improvement Agreement," and noted that the positive economic climate, the end of a record-breaking tourist season, and strong tax revenue for the Administration "should allow for a significant and urgent improvement in the teaching profession and its alignment with that of other civil servants." According to the Board, after 30 years of work, a teacher has earned €565,700 less than a healthcare worker and €141,075 less than other public employees, a difference they have described as "serious wage discrimination."

Repeal of the Linguistic Segregation Plan

Teachers have also criticized the Linguistic Segregation Plan proposed by Education Minister Antoni Vera and called for its withdrawal, "since it is a proposal that has not received the support of any social partner nor has it been agreed upon with any member of the educational community," and which "has become a mechanism for financing private schools." At the same time, they demanded the urgent implementation of point 30 of the 2023 Agreement to implement "a comprehensive plan of socio-educational measures to promote greater use of the Catalan language in schools," going beyond "increasing the hours of the PALIC program and the allocation of language facilitators." Other points raised by teachers include the reduction of bureaucracy, the air conditioning plan for extreme heat and cold, improvements to the Social Fund, and a review of the tutoring function – "Where are the 60 euros of tutoring supplement that were supposed to be received starting in September 2025?" "The paid sabbatical year."

Finally, the Board expressed its disagreement with the Popular Party's education policy and warned that the steps towards privatization "are irreversible," including those affecting the 0-3 age group, vocational training, the dismantling of the network of teacher training centers, and the emergence of a training entity linked to a religious center. They also criticized the reduction of school catchment areas in Palma, which "will lead to increased school segregation." In the conclusion of the statement, the Board asserted that "it is time to rectify the situation and place public schools, their teachers, and the entire educational community at the heart of educational policies" and called for "a quality, inclusive public education in Catalan that is a fundamental element for social cohesion and learning."