Teachers, doctors, and farmers block AP-7 as week of strikes continues

Hundreds of teachers, joined by doctors and farmers with tractors, blocked the AP-7 highway in Sant Gregori (Girona) in the latest demonstration during a week of strike action across Catalonia's education sector.

Police first stopped tractors from accessing the highway, and only demonstrators on foot managed to cut off traffic. However, farmers later found an alternative access point, and by around 11:30am, tractors had joined the blockade.

The protest marks the fourth day of rolling strikes by teachers, following earlier mobilizations on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday in different parts of Catalonia. 

Throughout the week, demonstrations have combined walkouts with road disruptions and rallies to pressure the government over what unions describe as an "insufficient" agreement on working conditions.

On Thursday, teachers from Vallès, Maresme, and the Girona region took strike action, with protests affecting several key roads.

Doctors are also on strike for two days, Thursday and Friday, to demand better pay and conditions.

Morning roadblocks across the country

Around 7:30am on Thursday, teachers in Sant Quirze del Vallès (Vallès Occidental) blocked the C-58 after gathering outside a shopping center. They stopped traffic in both directions for about 45 minutes before gradually reopening the road by 9am.

Shortly before 8am, teachers in Mataró blocked access to the city and later the C-32 highway. The disruption lasted just over half an hour, with traffic reopening first toward Barcelona and then toward Girona.

In Girona, around 20 vehicles took part in a slow-moving protest along the C-65 from Salt to the city, causing significant congestion during peak morning traffic.

Rallies were organized in Sabadell, Mataró, and Girona. 

Growing pressure after days of protests

Thursday's mobilizations build on a week of protest that began on Monday, March 16, and have moved across Catalonia day by day, with teachers in different regions staging strikes, demonstrations, and roadblocks.

Unions argue that the government's agreement with labour unions CCOO and UGT fails to address key issues in the sector. Teachers are calling for smaller class sizes, reduced bureaucracy, and higher salaries, as well as broader investment in the education system.

Daniel Marcos, a teacher in Sabadell, said the aim of the protests is to force the government back to negotiations after what he described as an "insufficient" deal with "minority" unions. "We need to cause disruption just to be heard," he said.

Labour union USTEC spokesperson in Maresme, Anna Torralbo, warned that the sector's needs are "urgent" and called for talks to resume "with the unions that represent the majority."

More demonstrations are expected as the strike week continues, with unions warning that protests will persist unless negotiations are reopened.

On Friday, teachers all across Catalonia are set to strike, with a rally planned in Barcelona.