Teachers at American School of Barcelona go on strike for better conditions

Teachers at the American School of Barcelona are taking part in two days of partial strike this week, demanding better conditions. 

Workers backed by the CCOO trade union, which represents a majority of the staff, are striking from 9-10 am on the mornings of June 8 and 9. 

CCOO sources reported that 95 teachers took part in the first day of the strike action, out of a total of nearly 200 full-time workers at the school. 

This follows demonstrations in May with "increasing support" from staff members, as the union says, which led to a response from the school board viewed as unsatisfactory by the majority of workers. 

Teachers and staff members are demanding a 6% increase in salary to keep up with the rising cost of living. This 6% would be on top of a further 3% staff are guaranteed in their labor agreement (known as the 'conveni colectiu' in Catalan.) Striking staff members say that rising inflation has also impinged on their purchasing power also. 

A press release from the CCOO union claims that the school board agreed to meet with representatives but that the school has tried to "slow down" negotiations, maneuvres which have led the staff to call this week's strike.

Mark Pingitore, director of the school, has told Catalan News that the board are keen to agree new terms with higher compensation for staff members. He explained that the board has made a proposal with a parameter of a 17% increase on base salary over the next three years. 

However, CCOO accuses the board of trying to link an improvement in conditions for current staff with a reduction in benefits for future teachers, something the union says will create "division" among workers.

The proposal would include a shift in the current policy of all children of staff members being permitted to attend the school entirely for free.

Included in the proposal featuring a 17% rise in salary over the next three years is the provision that staff members would get tuition covered for two children per staff member for free up to a maximum of 9% of all students being staff children. If the school were to exceed 9% of staff enrollment, the new staff members would pay 50% of tuition, as part of the proposal. 

The American School of Barcelona, which counts the children of Gerard Piqué and Shakira among its student body, is one of the most expensive education centers in Catalonia, with annual fees next year reaching as high as €24,766 for the eldest grades. Striking workers believe that the high prices and economic health of the school should mean that the school should be able to provide the staff with their demands.