Unions call for intervention ahead of scheduled eviction

USTEC•STEs (IAC), CGT and La Intersindical have demanded that authorities halt an eviction scheduled for Tuesday 7 October at Carrer del Llenguadoc, 74 in Barcelona. The action, carried out by the property company Thunder Optical Minur, threatens to leave families with children enrolled in seven educational centres without a home. The unions describe the situation as part of a broader housing crisis that directly undermines education. In a joint statement published on 1 October, they argue that the educational system cannot ensure equal opportunities when students face residential instability.

The school cannot turn its back on the social reality our students are experiencing: currently, 35% of children and young people are in a situation of poverty, that is, approximately one in three.

Housing insecurity linked to educational harm

According to union data cited in the statement, minors are involved in 70% of evictions in Barcelona. The organisations highlight how housing precarity leads to skipped meals, inability to afford extracurricular activities, and chronic stress within households, all of which impact students’ well-being and learning. They define these conditions as forms of "housing violence": the anxiety of not knowing whether a family can remain in their home, the trade-offs between rent and nutrition, and the mental health toll on both parents and children. The unions specifically denounce Thunder Optical Minur’s role in the pending eviction, accusing the firm of prioritising profit over people. They stress that this case is not isolated but reflects a systemic failure by public administrations to protect the right to housing.

Call for administrative action

The organisations are calling on local and regional authorities to intervene and stop the eviction. They demand stronger policies to counteract a housing model they say systematically displaces families. As education workers, they assert they cannot remain passive in the face of growing social hardship. Their message is clear: securing stable housing is fundamental to ensuring equitable education.

Reported by tercerainformacion.es, VilaWeb Feed.