Early childhood educators in Madrid gathered in front of the Madrid City Council, continuing their indefinite strike which began three weeks ago. They had requested a meeting with the mayor to demand the cessation of contract extensions for companies managing early childhood schools, after failing to find solutions in a previous meeting with the delegate of the Government Area for Social Policies, Family, and Equality.
According to the Early Childhood Schools Labor Platform (PLEI), the delegate informed them that the extensions were already formalized and irrevocable, a claim the platform refutes, stating that spending authorizations were made after their meeting.
Despite the rain, the educators, dressed in their distinctive yellow shirts, congregated in front of the city council. Some representatives from PLEI entered the Municipal Plenary Session, where the cessation of extensions and the improvement of their working conditions were to be debated. Outside, banners with slogans like “0-3 doesn't make ends meet” or “It's not vocation, it's exploitation” reflected their demands.
The educators were invited to the gallery by opposition members. The proposition, defended by a socialist councilwoman, included reducing child-to-educator ratios and increasing salaries to match other cycles, as some educators earn 1221 euros, far from the 1518 euros they should receive according to their agreement.
“"What they propose is impossible, and they know it. It is illegal within their own deadlines. By the way, very 'sanchista'. For what budgets?"
During the debate, the delegate attempted to “dismantle the proposition,” which provoked a reaction from the educators with shouts of “Yes, we can!” Shortly after, the Presidency of the Plenary requested security intervention, and the workers were removed. The president of the Plenary described the situation as “intolerable” and criticized the opposition groups for applauding.
“"They listened to us for a while; it took them time to kick us out."
Upon leaving, they were greeted by their colleagues with chants and whistles. PLEI spokespersons insisted that “we must increase the pressure” and that they will not give up until solutions are found. The educators, physically and emotionally exhausted, lament the lack of institutional responses and the lack of empathy from authorities, such as the mayor and the president of the Community of Madrid, regarding a vocational job that directly affects educational quality and children's well-being.
The workers take turns covering the minimum services established by law during strikes, which creates tension with families and affects children. They emphasize the difficulty of caring for so many minors and the lack of institutional transparency. This afternoon, they have scheduled a new concentration at the Puerta del Sol to continue demanding improvements and the cessation of contract extensions.
