Teachers' unions in Catalonia have called a strike for Monday 8 September, the first day of the new school year, in a move that could affect families, pupils and school staff from the start of term. The call was announced by the Educational Assembly and reported by ARA, which said unions warned that the day "will not be normal".

The Generalitat's education department, the Catalan regional government's education authority, has said the school year will still start on 8 September. According to ARA, the department has confirmed that classes will begin as scheduled despite the planned industrial action.

What parents and school staff know so far

For parents, the immediate point is that schools are due to open on Monday 8 September unless individual centres say otherwise. The available source material does not set out any school-by-school closures, so families will need to check messages from their own school or the education department for practical instructions on attendance, timetables and any minimum-service arrangements.

The phrase that the first day "will not be normal", used by the Educational Assembly in ARA's report, refers to the planned strike disrupting the usual first day of classes. The same source says the unions are using the opening day of the school year to increase pressure on the regional government over public education policy.

Separate call for labour staff protest in Barcelona

A separate strike call has also been issued by CCOO and UGT for teaching-related labour staff in the education department on the same date, Monday 8 September. According to CatalunyaPress, the stoppage is planned from 08:00 to 24:00 and includes a demonstration outside the Department of Education at Via Augusta 202–226 in Barcelona at 12.00 noon.

The unions said the action is intended to demand payroll regularisation and payment of pending seniority increments for affected staff groups.

"We demand the regularisation of payroll and payment of the increments to all affected categories."

That quote, reported by CatalunyaPress, refers to labour teaching staff, Oriol Martorell staff, management technicians and occupational training monitors.

  • Date: Monday 8 September
  • Strike hours in the CCOO and UGT call: 08:00 to 24:00
  • Protest location: Department of Education, Via Augusta 202–226, Barcelona
  • Protest time: 12.00 noon

CatalunyaPress also reported that minimum services would be maintained and that planned activities would continue where possible, with the stated aim of reducing the impact on pupils and families while keeping pressure on the administration.

"It is time to defend the dignity of labour teaching staff. Your presence is key to making our voice heard and demanding what belongs to us."

For families, that means classes are officially still due to start on 8 September, but the day may run differently from usual depending on staffing levels and any minimum-service arrangements communicated by each school. The sources provided do not include a single official online notice for parents with operational guidance, so the clearest next step is to watch for direct updates from schools and from the Generalitat's education department before the first day of term.

Reported by ARA, russpain.com, beteve.cat, CatalunyaPress.es, Diana Silva, Carla Rivero, catalannews.com, rac1.cat, Ivet Nuñez, Helena López, cronista.com, Marina Tovar, Xavi Fernández de Castro, cronicaglobal.elespanol.com.