Overview
- The indefinite public-education strike began on 14 October and presses for a €600 monthly regional pay top-up, shorter weekly teaching hours and much smaller class sizes to improve teacher pay and student support.
- Unions seek a cap of 17 weekly teaching hours in secondary and 22 in primary plus class ratios of 13 in early childhood, 15 in primary and 20 in secondary, and a reduction of temporary contracts toward an 8% target.
- The Comunidad de Madrid published cost estimates saying the unions’ package would require building 328 new schools, hiring more than 13,600 teachers and would, under its assumptions, eliminate about 280,000 school places.
- Reported strike participation was high on the first day but has fallen over time as some families face economic pressure, while unions retain backing from family associations, student groups and other education platforms.
- Negotiations are stalled with Education authorities refusing to meet the strike committee, President Isabel Díaz Ayuso denouncing unrest during demonstrations, and related higher-education and early-childhood sector strikes scheduled in the coming weeks.