UGT demands an investment plan for air conditioning in schools

They complain that it cannot "depend on families and staff."

The empty classroom of a school in the Balearic Islands
ARA Balears
26/09/2025
1 min

PalmThe Public Services Federation of the UGT Balearic Islands has requested an investment plan for air conditioning and ventilation in schools so that "it does not depend on families or staff." This is one of the demands put forward by the union in response to the news. published this Friday in the ARA Baleares, which explains that families and teachers have financed the purchase of fans and air conditioning equipment "out of pocket."

In a statement, UGT described this incident as "unacceptable" and stressed that it constitutes an "occupational and public health risk," as some educational centers "have recorded temperatures of 34.7°C inside classrooms, well above the reasonable limit."

However, they noted that this problem "goes beyond education," as it also affects "hospitals, offices, and other public services," where extreme thermal conditions "put the health of workers and users at risk." "This problem is neither new nor a one-off; UGT Baleares has previously warned of this situation," they stated.

In fact, they cited the case of the cleaning workers in Andratx, who were warned that they had to work "in the sun, without hats or sunscreen, in vehicles without air conditioning, and without the minimum required protection." "This situation demonstrates that thermal risk affects multiple public services and puts the health of hundreds of workers at risk," they asserted.

For these reasons, UGT has demanded "immediate official measures" in all public services in the Balearic Islands and "clear" protocols for prevention and response during heat waves. "It cannot be up to families or staff to pay for fans; air conditioning is an occupational health obligation and a basic right of all workers and users of public services," asserted Tino Davia, Secretary of Occupational Health and the Environment of UGT Public Services of the Balearic Islands.

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