The CCOO union's teaching federation issued a statement on Tuesday in which it highlighted the "progressive worsening" of teachers' working conditions in the Balearics.
"Under the pretext of the health crisis, teachers have been put under pressure from the government, society and families to return to classrooms with the maximum presence possible but without the health guarantees that have been recommended." Schools, the union says, have become "collective systems of masked guardians", while the "key to success for the education ministry" for managing the pandemic in schools has been to "seriously worsen working conditions". "More teaching hours, more meetings, more bureaucracy, more time without breaks ... ."
The union adds that teachers have had to attend simultaneously to pupils with different educational needs and to extend the working day in order to be able to respond to the volume of work. Meanwhile, "a great responsibility" has fallen on them for ensuring that health recommendations are met. Many teachers, the CCOO suggests, are being put on leave because of stress and related complaints.
The government, the union argues, should provide schools with the necessary human resources to be able to respond to the needs that have been created and prevent teachers' overwork. "According to the education minister, schools are operating normally. This is entirely debatable. Schools are open but they are not operating within the parameters of what their function should be. Teachers are currently under maximum degrees of pressure as they don't have adequate resources. They have to take on tasks that are not theirs and are dedicating many more hours to pupils who are present and who are isolating at home."