Catalan teachers have ample reasons to express their discontent with the state of education in our country and their low salaries. Up to this point, public opinion can only agree. The continuous results of the PISA reports, which pointed to a clear decline in the academic performance of Catalan students, have been a constant cry for help in recent years. It was normal for Salvador Illa’s Government to commit to a strong investment of 2,000 million euros over four years to reverse this situation. But things started to go wrong when union leaders spoke more about salary improvements than educational reforms. Social pressure led the Generalitat to add another 726 million to finally reach an agreement with the most recalcitrant unions.
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What few could expect is that the exhaustion or apathy of teachers – only six out of ten voted – would cause the majority of teachers yesterday to reject all improvements in a consultation. They still want more. And they threaten more social pressure actions in the streets, like those they have protagonized in recent days. Well, it is not admissible. Because the situation of teachers is bad, but doctors, nurses, firefighters, and many other professions that have also lost purchasing power and whose pockets are not benefiting from Spain’s economic growth also have reasons to protest.
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If the Government ultimately gives in with more concessions, it runs the risk of other sectors joining this type of demand. Not so long ago, for example, Catalonia experienced a massive protest from the agricultural sector, which also has reasons to express its displeasure.
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The Generalitat has reacted by maintaining the salary increase, despite the announcement of new mobilizations by teachers. It’s a gesture. The unions that lost yesterday’s vote would do well to lower their demands and start a new negotiation without further pressure. Because they must know that governing is not always about giving in, and there are times when you have to say no.
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