Putney Teachers Join National Strike |
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Three quarters of London schools affected by industrial action March 3, 2023 Teachers at schools in Putney and Roehampton, who are members of the National Education Union NEU), took part in industrial action this Thursday (2 March). Picket lines appeared outside local schools including at the Ark Academy Putney It is estimated that three quarters of primary and secondary schools across London were affected in the strikes over pay. Further industrial action is planned for 15 and 16 March and the union claims that more teachers are becoming members meaning the impact could be even greater. The NEU says it has 9,000 teachers have jouned compared with the first day of strike action which took place at the beginning of February. A spokesperson for the union said, “Education is in crisis in this country. We don’t want to strike but as teachers in London, the South-East and South-West go on strike today it’s clear we have to take a stand.” London appears to have been the worst affected area in the country with around half of schools still operating elsewhere. Professor Alan Smithers, director of the Centre for Education and Employment Research at the University of Buckingham, said, “The number of new members joining the NEU is a strong indicator of the increased number of teachers taking part in strikes.” Industrial relations in education has not been helped by the publication of remarks by former education secretary Gavin Williamson made on WhatsApp that teachers sought excuses not to work during the pandemic. In response to a message from the then health secretary Matt Hancock saying, “What a bunch of absolute arses the teaching unions are,” he replied, “I know they really, really do just hate work.” Mary Bousted, the joint general secretary of NEU, described the messages as “contemptuous” and called for further talks to resolve the dispute. Education Secretary Gillian Keegan responded by saying, “We have made a serious offer to the leaders of the NEU: pause this week’s strikes, get round the table and talk about pay, conditions and reforms. It is hugely disappointing the NEU has thus far refused this serious offer.”
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