The main unions reject the Government's timetable for returning the salary cuts to teachers in state-subsidized private schools

PalmThe Ministry of Education and Universities has proposed allocating nearly five million euros annually until 2028 to pay the 2.9% salary increase owed to teachers in state-subsidized private schools, which was frozen in 2020 and 2021. The plan, presented this Tuesday at the Roundtable on State-Subsidized Private Education, anticipates paying 33% of the outstanding amount during the first half of 2026; another 33% in 2027; and the remaining 34% in 2028. According to the Ministry, the schedule could be brought forward if budget availability allows. In total, the measure would benefit approximately 5,000 teachers, including those already retired. However, the proposal has been met with harsh criticism from unions, who consider it a "disgrace" and a "lack of respect." The STEI union recalls that the previous directorate general, headed by Ismael Alonso, had promised to establish a payment schedule parallel to that of public education, allowing for the repayment of amounts corresponding to the years 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024. "Delaying it until the 2nd, and the subsidized private schools included in the LODE (Organic Law on the Right to Education)," they denounce.

The union also criticizes the fact that the Minister of Education, Antoni Vera, met the day before with UGT – which represents approximately 5% of the sector – to finalize a preliminary agreement. "This delegitimizes the Subsidized Private School Roundtable, which is the officially recognized dialogue body since 1998," they point out. STEI insists that "good agreements are those reached within the Roundtable, with all parties involved," and warns that negotiations outside this framework "break the sector's trust."

Criticisms of the procedure

For its part, the USO union has also expressed its outrage at the procedure and the substance of the proposal. "We were summoned without having received the necessary documentation beforehand; we even hesitated to attend," its representatives stated. USO recalls that it had already requested a meeting on August 28th to address the issue of the 2.9% increase and the island allowance, "just as has been done with public school teachers," and that it reiterated the request in writing three times. Furthermore, the union expressed its "surprise and outrage" at the signing of the addendum between the regional minister and "a minority union," an "unprecedented" situation that "violates the principles of sectoral collective bargaining." With the new documentation and the presented timeline, USO has announced that it will conduct "a thorough study" before formally evaluating the proposal. He also noted that other issues remain to be negotiated: the island allowance, a new partial retirement agreement, the creation of a single Vocational Training body, delegated payments, improvements for technical staff working with children aged 0-3 and for administrative and support staff (PAS and ATE), as well as the need to promote a new Framework Agreement.