At the start of the 2026/27 school year, teachers in several of Spain’s Autonomous Communities are mobilising for protests and, in some cases, strikes. Teachers’ unions criticise staff shortages, high compulsory teaching hours and large class sizes. This Ministry of Education points to forthcoming reforms and talks, but so far makes no comprehensive commitments.
Unions such as CCOO, UGT and CSIF have been calling for binding measures to ease the burden for months: fewer teaching hours per week, smaller classes, more support staff for inclusive education, and secure civil-service status or permanent contracts for temporary employees. In Madrid an indefinite series of strikes in public education was already announced before the summer for the autumn. Further nationwide days of action are being prepared should negotiations fail to produce concrete results.
The regional picture is mixed. In Catalonia and parts of Andalusia, teachers have already called for short protest actions. In the Valencian Community, mobilisation is under way again after a turbulent previous year. At the start of the school year, local authorities and school operators report shortages in the allocation of substitute teachers and in provision for pupils with particularly high support needs.
The government has announced a Estatuto Docente as a flagship project, which is intended, among other things, to reduce weekly teaching hours and limit class sizes. According to sources involved in the negotiations, these issues are high on the agenda, but details of the scope and timetable remain open. The Ministry of Education stresses that dialogue with the social partners takes priority, while also pointing to the powers of the regions, which set many staffing and timetabling arrangements independently.
The escalation stems from structural pressures on the system: a high proportion of temporary contracts, additional administrative work in schools, a more diverse student population and infrastructure deficiencies, such as problems with indoor climate and facilities. Unions warn of health consequences for teaching staff and declining pupil performance.
If negotiations do not quickly lead to firm agreements, more prolonged disruption to teaching is likely – particularly in regions where industrial action has already been called or is being prepared, such as Madrid. So far, there are no binding nationwide rules. The coming weeks will therefore determine whether the new school year sees only isolated protests or develops into wider labour disputes.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).