Madrid teachers march demanding talks on seventh day of indefinite strike

Thousands of public-school teachers in Madrid marched on Thursday, 22 October, from Atocha to the regional education department on Calle Alcalá. The march began at 18:00, with protesters blowing whistles and chanting at councillor Mercedes Zarzalejo, whom they want to meet unions to negotiate.

The regional government put participation in the strike at 19.5% on Thursday, while the unions put it at 60%. The education community's demands include cutting teaching hours to 17 periods a week in secondary and vocational training and 22 in primary, lower class sizes, measures against segregation and a monthly pay rise of 600 euros. Earlier that day, teachers gathered outside the Madrid Assembly during a plenary session. Nearly 300 parent and family associations signed a manifesto backing the strike.

In the Assembly, Zarzalejo said the strike was turning education into a hostage of a political conflict and aimed at defeating regional president Isabel Díaz Ayuso. She said the demands were unfeasible and would leave more than 280,000 students without a school place.