Valencian Education Department and Unions Meet to Resolve Indefinite Teacher Strike

Valencian teachers and the regional government have agreed to resume negotiations Thursday after four days of an indefinite strike that has paralyzed public schools and drawn tens of thousands of protesters into the streets. The move comes as both sides seek to end one of the most significant labor disputes in the Valencian Community since 1988, with educators demanding sweeping reforms in salaries, infrastructure, class sizes, and the promotion of Valencian language instruction.

The strike, now in its fourth day, saw participation ranging from 27% to 90% depending on the source, with unions reporting overwhelming support among teachers. Demonstrations outside the Palau de la Generalitat in Valencia on Wednesday featured symbolic protests, including fake 75-euro bills bearing the image of President Juanfran Pérez Llorca, in reference to what unions called an “insulting” salary offer. Protesters also chanted for the resignation of Education Minister Carmen Ortí and carried signs demanding “dignified working conditions” and “more resources.”

The negotiations, scheduled for 9:00 AM Thursday, follow a direct appeal from Ortí to union leaders on Wednesday. In an email, she proposed an “integral” package addressing core demands, including salary increases, infrastructure upgrades, reduced student-teacher ratios, and expanded Valencian language programs. The government has framed the offer as a comprehensive effort to improve the education system, though unions have signaled skepticism, insisting they will maintain all planned mobilizations until a “real and effective” proposal is presented.

“We want the whole loaf, not crumbs,” union representatives stated in a joint message, emphasizing that any agreement must be ratified by teachers in an assembly Friday. The largest union, the Valencian Country Workers’ Union (STEPV), warned that the proposed pre-agreement would require “close scrutiny” from the rank-and-file before acceptance. “This represents a historic moment,” said STEPV coordinator Marc Candela. “The document on the table must reflect the will of every teacher, and we will decide collectively whether to accept it.”

President Pérez Llorca reiterated the government’s openness to dialogue, calling the strike a “missed opportunity” for collaboration. He acknowledged key demands—such as reducing bureaucracy, improving special education support, and installing climate control in under-equipped schools—as priorities. “We’re not hiding anything,” Pérez Llorca told reporters. “Our goal is to move beyond politics and focus on technical, rigorous solutions.” However, he dismissed union claims that salary offers were inadequate, noting that educators had previously stated wages were a “less urgent” issue.

Behind the immediate crisis lies a broader tension over the future of Valencian education. Teachers have cited years of underfunding, rising costs, and stagnant wages as driving forces behind the strike. The Valencian Community, where Valencian—a Western Catalan dialect—is the official language, has also seen debates over its promotion in schools, with some educators arguing current policies fall short of legal requirements. The dispute has intensified amid national trends of declining public-sector morale and rising labor activism.

If negotiations fail, the strike could drag on, with unions vowing to escalate protests. “We will resist as much as necessary,” STEPV declared Wednesday, noting that even minimal service levels—such as mandatory evaluations for second-year high school students—have been contested. The government, however, has insisted on maintaining essential services to prevent disruptions to critical exams scheduled for June.

As talks begin, the stakes are high. A successful resolution could ease immediate pressures, but deeper structural reforms will be needed to address the root causes of teacher dissatisfaction. For now, the focus remains on Thursday’s meeting—and whether it can break the impasse before the conflict deepens further.