Three NUT Strikes - Bolton, Ealing, Westminster

Posted in ClassroomSolidarity's blog on ,

This Wednesday, the day after a divisional secretaries meeting to discuss how to plan the next national ballot, three schools- in Bolton, Ealing and Westminster- are out on strike in exemplary actions

that show the way forward for the NUT generally. Sadly, it is not a pattern being repeated over the country but it is certainly hopeful and we need to answer the question of how can activists join the dots and spread the mood for action... writes Jason Travis of Bolton NUT.

Last month the NUT national executive rejected by 28 votes to 8 a summer term ballot for further discontinuous strike action against the below inflation pay increase. This means that that it will not be possible to have another strike until November at the earliest, some 7

months after April's successful strike action, against an offer representing a pay cut in real terms. This has left many teachers feeling frustrated- especially when we look at the successful tactics of striking tanker drivers and the fact that UCU and PCS already have live ballots and Unison are balloting now.

Three schools have shown that it is possible to organise around local issues. Withins school in Bolton is taking its second day of strike action against change of employer.

We should use these strikes to seek support in our areas for strike action whether on workload, local conditions, privatisation or any other issues affecting us. We should seek to get as many messages of support as possible to the reps in the schools, seek to hold meetings in workplaces and communities on how to oppose the latest attacks on schools and begin to organise local strike committees across unions to maximise the turnout for a ballot and demand that a national ballot is held as soon as possible. Above all workers should seek to use these actions to get a mood for strike action in our schools and workplaces.

Below messages from the 3 NUT groups on the background to the cases and to whom to send messages of support.

Message from Bolton NUT

"On Wednesday June 18th, Withins NUT members will be on strike for the second time. Picket will be from 7.00am to just after 9.00am.
Everyone is invited to the picket line with banners, Withins School, Newby Road, Breightmet, Bolton BL2 5JB.

Messages of support to Barry Conway, Bolton NUT divisional secretary.

This is a very important dispute in the battle against the privatisation of education through the introduction of academies. Local press have been informed by pupils that they will stage a walkout on Tuesday in protest at the academy."

Message from Westminster NUT

Members of the National Union of teachers at Pimlico School in London are striking on Wednesday and Thursday, June 18th and 19th because Interim Headteacher, Jo Shuter unilaterally broke an agreement to restore the lunch break to 45 minutes from June 2nd.

Following protracted negotiations and 1-day strikes in November and in January, agreement was reached in March that the lunch-break would be extended to 35 minutes from the start of the Summer Term on April 21st and to 45 minutes from June 2nd. The agreement provided for consultation by the Head if she foresaw problems in implementing the break. No consultation took place but the 45 break did not come into being. In a secret ballot without recommendation from union officers held on Thursday, June 12th 72% of those voting, voted for action with 26% voting against and 2% abstaining. The turnout was 80%.

The Head’s claim that a proper lunch break for teachers would cause health & safety problems is simply not credible. She has produced no evidence in support of this assertion. It appears that the Head did not even discuss it with the Interim Executive Board that runs the school. At this time of year there are only 65% of pupils in school and the numbers at lunchtime are further reduced by trips and out of school activities.

Jo Shuter’s decision to break the agreement so close to the end of her reign at Pimlico seems particularly bizarre given the commitment from Westminster City Council and from Jerry Collins (designate head of the Academy) that the lunch-break from Sept will be at least 45 minutes. NUT members are reluctantly taking strike action but if management is allowed to set aside agreements in such a cavalier way, there is no point in trying to reach agreement. We are requesting the Union’s Action Committee to authorise further strikes in the following weeks should she fail to honour the agreement.

Padraic Finn, Secretary, Westminster NUT

Messages of support to School Rep, John Brennan.

Message from Ealing NUT

From Nick GRANT, Ealing NUT secretary

Three more strike days have been called at Lady Margaret Primary School, Southall in Ealing.

A meeting of 18 of the 21 NUT members this evening unanimously rejected the latest management position. This had been offerred at the end of a two-hour negotiating session last night between the head, chair of governors and two LA officers meeting with an NUT Regional Officer, myself and the school rep.

Strike dates are Wednesday 18 June, Tuesday 24 June and Wednesday 25 June. The issues remain ones which in fact are present in almost every primary school in the land:

6.8 current TLR posts being reduced to 2 with little loss of actual subject or phase responsibility

refusal to permanently safeguard those disenfranchised by such a move

an unacceptably bureaucratic system for tracking and logging pupil progress according toNational Curriculum sub-levels

a 100% success target measured by progress on this assessment system as a non-negotiable Performance Management objective Customary entitlements, such as guaranteed PPA time in half-day blocks and full consultation on disbursal of 1265 hours for nextacademic year, are being offerred as "concessions" .

The members (with one exception who has refused to take strike action so far) remain admirably resolute, and are preparing a leaflet to go to parents explaining their normal working life. A number of staff have taught whole families of local kids, and, despite th eefforts of a local paper to voice dissent, most parents are saying that they trust the teachers.

Needless to say, the ambitious, authoritarian new headteacher retains the formal support of the LA and governors who, as yet, seem unprepared to tell him to back off. We would all be grateful if you could seek messages of support from members in your areas, especially primary schools. These issues go to the heart of market madness in education. Indeed the best form of support might be to take similar action everywhere.

Messages to: o.gallagher@btinternet.com

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