Hundreds in teachers demonstration to call for better salaries

Hundreds of people took part in a teachers' protest on Saturday afternoon in Barcelona in order to call for better salaries and less workload.

Several unions such as USTEC, Professors de Secundària, CCOO, UGT and CGT united to put pressure on the education ministry, whom they accused of not complying with their "commitment" to put forward a salary rise proposal.

The demonstration began at the Catalan capital's Arc de Triomf and ended in nearby plaça Comercial square.

USTEC spokesperson Iolanda Segura pledged to continue protesting in order to put pressure on the administration. Indeed, teachers are invited to join a strike on February 11.

CCOO union spokesperson for education, Esther Vila, said that negotiations were "prolonging." She added that the upcoming day of strike will probably be "the beginning of a sustained cycle of strikes."

"Catalan teachers are burned out," said ASPEPC-SPS union spokesperson Ramiro Gil, pointing at the education minister Esther Niubó and adding that their working conditions are abusive.