Members of NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union at Gateacre School in Liverpool will be taking the first of five planned days of strike action tomorrow (Tuesday) over concerns about the way in which they are being managed and a failure to recognise workforce trade unions. 

Members have been subject to a long-standing culture of adverse management practices and treatment which has undermined their wellbeing, health and safety in the workplace. This includes excessive workloads and working hours, the failure to address poor pupil behaviour and excessive monitoring and surveillance of staff.

The employer has also failed to agree to any collective bargaining arrangements with education workforce trade unions. Northern Schools Trust, which officially took over the running of the school in December, derecognised workforce trade unions several years ago.

Dr Patrick Roach, General Secretary of the NASUWT, said:

“We have shared with the employer the concerns of members about the way they are being managed and while some limited progress has been made, the employer has failed to provide any assurances about re-recognising unions.

“It is past time the employer accepted this and agreed to work with us for the benefit of the whole school community at Gateacre.”
 
Bryan McConnell, NASUWT National Executive Member for Merseyside and Cheshire, said:
 
“The Trust is failing in its duty of care to staff. It has had numerous opportunities to act to address the management problems at the school but has failed to do so.
 
“Members now feel that they have no choice but to take strike action in order to force the trust to make sustained and genuine cultural change in how they treat staff.
 
“The fact that staff have voted for strike action shows that the employer cannot simply choose to ignore workforce trade unions.
 
“Our members should not need to fight for their right to be treated with dignity and have their basic rights upheld at work.”