The mobilization, known as the 'yellow tide', extends beyond a mere labor dispute, presenting itself as a collective outcry in defense of educational quality and child welfare. The conflict reflects years of accumulated discontent, now strongly manifesting in the city's streets.
The professionals who sustain this crucial stage of the educational system denounce conditions they deem precarious and incompatible with their daily responsibilities. Their complaints include salaries barely reaching the interprofessional minimum wage and high ratios: one educator for eight babies, fourteen children aged one to two, or twenty in the two to three age group. They also point to the increasing complexity in classrooms, with the presence of children with special educational needs, a scenario that, according to the collective, places Spain at the bottom of Europe in this regard.
This is not a sectoral problem, but a structural issue affecting society as a whole.
The situation is exacerbated when compared to other municipalities in the Community of Madrid, where improvements such as the educational pair figure have been implemented. In contrast, professionals in Alcalá de Henares claim to remain subject to outdated regulations. The lack of information from the City Council regarding new tenders for indirectly managed nursery schools generates uncertainty among workers and families, while other municipalities advance in bidding processes that will allow for salary improvements.
Another central point of the protest is the deterioration of the material conditions of the centers. Municipal nursery schools lack air conditioning, causing classrooms to exceed 30 degrees Celsius in summer with infants inside. The solutions adopted, such as installing fans, are clearly insufficient for a public service of this nature. There are also reports of roof leaks, drips requiring buckets in classrooms, deteriorated doors, and poorly maintained playgrounds, an image the collective considers inappropriate for an early childhood educational environment. The absence of awnings limits the use of playgrounds for much of the year, reducing opportunities for children's development and play.
The educators have decided to speak out, not only for their labor dignity but also for the quality of service children receive. They call on citizens and political leaders, demanding answers, dialogue, and concrete measures, emphasizing that quality education cannot exist without dignified conditions for those who make it possible.
