Lorraine Williamson
Families across Spain could face childcare disruption on Thursday as more than 60,000 early-years educators are called to strike. Spain´s nursery strike affects the 0–3 age group and involves workers from around 11,000 public and private infant schools, according to EFE.
The action is aimed at demanding better pay, improved working conditions and a national law to reduce classroom ratios.
Why nursery workers are striking
The strike has been called by unions including CCOO and CGT, who argue that Spain’s 0–3 education stage has been neglected for years.
Workers say the sector is often treated as childcare rather than education, despite its role in early development. Their demands include lower child-to-educator ratios, better support for children with additional needs, and salaries that reflect the responsibility of the work.
In Málaga, union representatives told Cadena SER that some private-centre workers earn little more than the minimum wage, while handling classrooms of up to 20 young children per educator.
Families may face disruption on Thursday
The strike is scheduled for Thursday, 7 May, with demonstrations planned in several cities and regions.
In the Valencian Community, protests are expected in Valencia, Castellón and Alicante. Minimum services have been set in public and municipal centres, depending on the size of each school.
In La Rioja, more than 500 workers from around 60 infant schools have been called to strike, with protests planned outside regional institutions.
Madrid dispute adds pressure
The national action comes as early-years workers in Madrid continue a separate indefinite strike that began on 7 April.
More than 700 workers in indirectly managed infant schools are involved, according to El País. They are demanding salary updates and better conditions after a month of action.
Unions in Madrid say some workers are being paid hundreds of euros less than others doing the same job, because older contracts have not been updated to match the national agreement signed in 2025.
A wider debate about early childhood education
The strike is about more than pay.
For unions, the key issue is whether Spain treats education from birth to age three as a core part of the public education system or as a lower-status care service.
That distinction matters for families too. Lower ratios, better staffing and more support for children with special needs could change the daily experience inside classrooms.
What parents should check
Parents with children in infant schools should check directly with their centre before Thursday morning.
Services may vary by region, ownership model and minimum-service rules. Some centres may remain open with reduced staffing, while others could face significant disruption.
The next key date is 23 May, when unions have called a demonstration in Madrid outside the Ministry of Education.
For now, Thursday’s strike will test how visible Spain’s early-years workforce can make a sector that is often essential to family life, yet rarely at the centre of national debate.