Teachers take to Madrid streets in fresh wave of strikes

The teaching community of Madrid once again took to the streets on Tuesday to protest against cutbacks in the sector being imposed by the regional Popular Party (PP) government of Esperanza Aguirre. Thousands of teachers, parents and students made their voices heard for a fourth day, after a series of strikes last month. According to EL PAÍS data, 60.5 percent of teachers heeded the call to join the strike, a figure that labor unions set at 71 percent and the regional government at 32 percent.

The strikes have been called in protest against longer working hours and the dismissal of up to 3,000 substitute teachers, according to the unions, which in turn has led to many teachers being given extra classes to cover, despite the fact that they are not specialized in the subjects.

Most of the protestors' ire was reserved for Aguirre and the regional education chief, Lucía Figar. "For the good of education, Esperanza resignation," went the cry, as the crowd passed near the regional education headquarters.

"I have never seen such organization," said Carmelo Plaza, a teacher from Castilla-La Mancha. "Although the conflict will be long and difficult, it is very important because it has the backing of parents and students."

The secretary general of the PP in Madrid, Francisco Granados, reiterated the party line that the unions are engineering a "political strike."