Academy teachers strike against pay cuts


Martin Powell-Davies, NUT executive

The action by members of the NUT and NASUWT teaching unions at Stratford Academy in Newham east London escalated to two strike days last week. There is a three-day strike starting on 13 November.

The dispute was provoked by the bullying actions of the Academy management who insisted that teachers individually promise that they would not take part in the national action-short-of-strike-action jointly launched by the two teaching unions. All teachers refusing to ‘repent’, and sticking with their union’s national campaign to defend working conditions, then started to have 15% docked from their pay!

On the picket line on 8 November, staff from other unions in the school expressed their support – and some suggested they would be transferring to the NUT to join the action.

As well as myself from the NUT Executive, members of the Newham NUT committee and a local parent, Niall Mulholland, all came along to express support.

Niall, along with other concerned parents, has called a public meeting on 15 November.

The NUT national executive has congratulated the Stratford teachers for their determined action.