OVER 40 teachers, members of NAS/UWT took one-day strike action on 12 March in protest at plans to axe two sixth form facilities in Rhyl, North Wales. The council’s plan to close Rhyl High School sixth form and Blessed Edward Jones sixth form would mean that the only sixth form provision in the town would be at Llandrillo College.
The action was well supported with almost 100% turnout on the picket line at Rhyl High School, where the governors are controversially supporting the council’s proposals. Rex Phillips, NAS/UWT organiser, told The Socialist: “As well as the threat to teachers’ jobs and conditions, we are also concerned that transferring all sixth form provision to the FE sector means there will be no local democratic accountability. We are disappointed that the school’s governing body is supporting Denbighshire county council. This is in contrast to Blessed Edwards, where the governors and the headteacher are very supportive”.
An initial public consultation revealed that 240 out of 250 res-pondents are opposed to the plans for a single sixth form. The one-day action is unlikely to be the end of the dispute and further action is being considered, with union members at Blessed Edward Jones being balloted.
