AN indefinite strike that emptied classrooms across Catalunya and saw Barcelona’s iconic Sagrada Familia blocked off by protesters will finally come to an end after the regional government agreed to a number of key concessions.
After more than two weeks of strike action and eight rounds of talks, school life is expected to return to normal for thousands of students in the northern Spanish region from next week after a deal was announced on Friday evening.
The agreement, signed by the Ustec, Aspepc, CCOO and UGT trade unions, will now be put to a vote among teachers before receiving final approval.
According to El Pais, teachers will receive almost €400 per month extra over the next four years, consisting of a monthly €172 supplement on top of a previously agreed €210 increase to the regional salary allowance.
The government will also support the recruitment of an additional 6,400 new teachers and educational support staff during the same period.
That includes 5,325 additional positions from 2027 onwards, alongside more than 1,000 new roles already approved for the next academic year.
The settlement marks a significant victory for regional president Salvador Illa, who has spent months trying to defuse one of the most damaging public sector disputes in Catalunya.
Strike action was launched in early May amid increasing anger over pay and working conditions.
Earlier this month, striking teachers blocked entry to the Sagrada Familia basilica with tables and chairs.
Staff at the Antoni Gaudi-designed masterpiece were forced to shut for the day and refund all tickets purchased by visitors.
The Sagrada Familia welcomed over 4.8 million paying visitors in 2024 – a 2.7 per cent increase on 2023.
Almost 5 per cent of all visitors to the basilica in 2024 came from the UK.
Last October, the building officially became the world’s tallest ever church after leapfrogging Ulm Minster in Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany, which stands 161.53 metres high.
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