Society

Government to announce family life-work measures

The closure of schools creates problems for many families. | David Baret

Majorca Daily Bulletin reporterPalma02/06/2020 15:01

President Armengol was asked in parliament on Tuesday what the government will be doing in order to strike a balance for families when de-escalation Phase 3 begins. Patricia Guasp of Ciudadanos observed that "with kindergartens and schools being closed, returning to work is a problem for families".

The president said that schools are not alone in having a family life-work balance, a subject for which progress has been lacking and there has been "many years delay". "We need to have a stable plan to reconcile work and family life. This must be addressed in a serious manner." She noted that the Balearic government had presented a plan to Madrid but that the response of the Spanish government, which has the powers, "had not been satisfactory".

As to the immediate need, Armengol said that the government will be presenting "extraordinary measures" this week. These will include projects involving town halls and island councils this summer.

Guasp insisted that families having to take care of their children and work at the same time should be a government priority. Solutions should be found "as soon as possible". She criticised the fact that, at the start of June, with schools having been closed since the middle of March and continuing to be closed until September, there has been "no plan with concrete measures".