Members of NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union at The Deepings School in Lincolnshire will take two days of strike action tomorrow (Tuesday) and Wednesday over working practices and a management culture which is driving up teachers’ workload and failing to support them to promote positive pupil behaviour.
The strike action will take place despite extensive negotiations by the NASUWT with the employer, Anthem Schools Trust. NASUWT called off planned strike action last July after a series of talks on the key concerns facing members. It was agreed there would be consultation with union reps on those issues. However, on returning to school for the new academic year union members were presented with a revised policy on pupil behaviour that had not been agreed or even discussed with reps.
Workload, due to staff shortages and management actions is a significant and growing problem in the school and new staff are expected to work through their lunchbreak as part of “The Anthem Way”.
Dr Patrick Roach, NASUWT General Secretary, said:
“The employer has broken promises made to us and our members and things have got worse, not better, for teachers at the school.
“This strike action is entirely the responsibility of the employer who has reneged on promises and failed to address our members’ requests for safe and healthy working conditions.
“The employer must now recognise the strength of feeling of teachers and agree to genuine consultation and tangible positive change in management practices and culture.”
Anne Thompson, NASUWT National Executive Member for Lincolnshire, said:
“When we called off action in July following negotiations we believed members would see a new, more co-operative way of working. However, since the school reopened in September the management has again failed to consult on key issues.
“Excessive workload stemming for poor management decisions is impacting on teachers and has to stop. The fact that the Trust believes it can deny new staff a break from work and instead subject them to lunchtime training on the so-called Anthem Way indicates little has changed for the better.”
