30 nursery educators protest in Palma over low pay

Around 30 nursery educators working with children aged up to three protested outside Parliament in Palma, Mallorca, on Wednesday. One day before the 2026-2027 school year begins, they called for better pay and working conditions.

The protest starts a wider campaign. On Thursday, demonstrations and gatherings are due to take place at the same time in Palma, Eivissa and Maó, demanding pay rises, smaller class sizes and a second educator in classrooms.

CCOO representative Pepa Ramis called for one pay scale across 0-3 education, with no differences between islands, and a review of the minimum standards decree. UGT representative Jaume Coll said classrooms were full and staff could not keep up. The unions also want separate working hours for teaching and class preparation.

They say a regional agreement will remain hard to secure while employers refuse to negotiate. Until then, they want agreements that bring the sector under the same framework.

A decree improving employment conditions is due to be approved on Wednesday, but STEI spokeswoman Sandra Serra said it would cover only subsidised centres and teachers. Educators, she said, would still earn close to the statutory minimum wage.

Staff also point to class sizes: seven babies in rooms for children aged 0 to 1, 12 in the 1-to-2 group and 18 in the 2-to-3 group. Mercè Leo of Xarxa 0-3 said more children needed individual support, including those with special needs referred by Social Services, but staff lacked the resources to provide it.

Educators will wear yellow protest T-shirts when the school year begins on Thursday. Further action is planned for 18 and 25 September, followed by a proposed nationwide 0-3 sector general strike on 6 October if the rules do not change.

Topics: Strikes · Jobs & labour · Protests · Education · Social affairs · Politics · Palma

Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com