Palma nursery staff: €500 monthly losses fuel protests

Nursery educators at Palma, Mallorca’s outsourced early-years schools say delays have left them about €500 out of pocket each month. On 8 September, unions CCOO and UGT said a challenge from one of the firms bidding for the contract had stalled the process again. They warn staff could return to protests in the coming months unless the issue is resolved quickly.

The unions say they have not seen the details of the appeal and are not challenging the company’s right to lodge it. But they say it will delay the new contract — and with it the pay and working-condition improvements agreed with Palma City Council, known locally as Cort, in 2025.

After more than 40 days of strike action in 2025, Mayor Jaime Martínez had said the new tender would be under way by February 2026. CCOO and UGT say that deadline has passed without the promised changes taking effect.

They put the latest delay at seven more months of insecure conditions and financial losses for the educators. The unions also say Education councillor Lourdes Roca had promised compensation, but that the amount offered is far below the figure included in the tender.

For the unions, the contract is about more than who runs the service. They say it should mark a shift in education for children aged 0 to 3 across the Balearics, with better conditions for staff and improved care for children. They are demanding that Cort settles the appeal as fast as possible, saying they cannot wait indefinitely.

Topics: Strikes · Jobs & labour · Politics · Palma

Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com