Barcelona teachers protest over working conditions, block entrance to Sagrada Família PHOTO

Education workers resumed their strike action in Barcelona on May 18, blocking access to the Sagrada Família basilica as part of ongoing protests.

Teachers’ new wave of demonstrations comes amid regional budget discussions and negotiations with authorities over long-standing issues in the education system, Caliber.Az reports, citing El País.

Previous talks between the regional government and trade unions ended without agreement.

This time, protesters shifted their focus away from blocking city entrances and instead gathered at one of Barcelona’s main tourist landmarks. Demonstrators formed a “human chain” and even set up an improvised classroom, transporting desks and chairs from a nearby school to the basilica.

Organisers say the city should “invest less in tourism and more in guaranteeing the fundamental right to education.”

In recent weeks, teacher strikes have also taken place in Valencia and Madrid. Educators cite overcrowded classrooms, a shortage of support staff and difficult working conditions.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov