Hundreds of Thousands Affected as Basque Teachers Strike Over Pay Dispute
Negotiations between educational unions and the Basque Government fail, leading to three consecutive days of teacher strikes and impacting 180,000 students.
A strike involving teachers across the Basque Country has led to the disruption of classes for 180,000 students in public schools, affecting nearly half of the region's student population.
The strike is scheduled for March 25, 26, and 27, 2025, following unsuccessful negotiations with the Basque Government that extended into the early hours of the morning.
Educational unions, including ELA, LAB, Steilas, and CCOO, have announced their intention to proceed with the strike action, asserting that previous efforts have compelled government reevaluation of their proposals.
Union representatives highlighted the necessity for continued action, stating that current offers remain inadequate.
Among the key points of contention is the Basque Government's proposed 6% salary increase for teachers, which unions demand be immediately implemented.
Additionally, unions are calling for enhanced personal resources beyond the 1% increase already recognized by the Department of Interior.
Despite some advancements over recent weeks—including reductions in workload by age, a one-hour decrease in teaching hours for the current academic year, and plans for substitute teachers to receive pay during the summer—ongoing disputes have reignited tensions within the education sector.
The Basque educational authorities, led by Education Minister Begoña Pedrosa, characterized the strike as 'unjustified and irresponsible,' arguing that the unions' actions reflect a preference for prolonging conflict rather than seeking resolution.
The government emphasized the strike's negative impact on students, stating that it epitomizes a lack of accountability to those who should be prioritized: the students of the Basque Country.
As the situation escalates, potential further strikes could extend the action into April if an agreement is not reached by the involved parties.
The strike is scheduled for March 25, 26, and 27, 2025, following unsuccessful negotiations with the Basque Government that extended into the early hours of the morning.
Educational unions, including ELA, LAB, Steilas, and CCOO, have announced their intention to proceed with the strike action, asserting that previous efforts have compelled government reevaluation of their proposals.
Union representatives highlighted the necessity for continued action, stating that current offers remain inadequate.
Among the key points of contention is the Basque Government's proposed 6% salary increase for teachers, which unions demand be immediately implemented.
Additionally, unions are calling for enhanced personal resources beyond the 1% increase already recognized by the Department of Interior.
Despite some advancements over recent weeks—including reductions in workload by age, a one-hour decrease in teaching hours for the current academic year, and plans for substitute teachers to receive pay during the summer—ongoing disputes have reignited tensions within the education sector.
The Basque educational authorities, led by Education Minister Begoña Pedrosa, characterized the strike as 'unjustified and irresponsible,' arguing that the unions' actions reflect a preference for prolonging conflict rather than seeking resolution.
The government emphasized the strike's negative impact on students, stating that it epitomizes a lack of accountability to those who should be prioritized: the students of the Basque Country.
As the situation escalates, potential further strikes could extend the action into April if an agreement is not reached by the involved parties.
Translation:
Translated by AI
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
