Bristol Socialist Party members report from the picket lines

On 5 and 6 November there was a really strong showing at all twelve schools in the Cathedral Schools Trust (CST) as members of the National Education Union (NEU) and Unison went on strike. 

Sheila Caffrey, Bristol NEU chair, said: “This strike is definitely showing CST how NEU and Unison members feel about stolen wages!”

Once the pay uplift for support staff is agreed nationally, schools and councils back-pay the increase to the April of that year.

But CST has only been paying school support staff the increase from September, meaning that it has been pocketing five months’ worth of uplift every year!

This leaves support staff worse off than colleagues in other schools across Bristol – staff who are often on minimum wage, term-time only contracts, and some need to work second jobs to survive.

Before the strike started there were pledges from over 100 teachers to not cross picket lines, which forced half of the schools to announce they would have to close. On the first two days, there were about 150 refusing to cross picket lines and standing alongside the support staff.

Emily, rep at Headley Park, said: “Our teachers stood in solidarity, outraged that the incredible support staff – without whom our schools simply could not function – have been placed in an unfair position. Together we stood united, empowered and determined. Together we will be heard.”

Susie, rep at Victoria Park, said: “I don’t want to be on strike, I want to be in my classroom with my pupils doing my job that I love, and I am deeply passionate about. However, I feel that the actions of the Trust are reprehensible and the total lack of accountability has hurt and alienated most of our support staff.”

Bristol and North Somerset NEU have launched a hardship fund, and request donations from individuals or union branches to help ensure that it is made clear to CST (and any other employer who thinks it’s ok to steal from support staff wages) that Unison and NEU will not stop until members win what they are owed.

  • Further strike days were scheduled for 11 and 13 November
  • Donate:

Name: NEU Bristol District
Sort code: 60-83-01 
Account number:  20406969
Reference: CST Hardship Fund

The Socialist has been sent reports and pictures from Socialist Party members showing support  at several school and college NEU strikes, including Richard Cobden Primary School in Camden, Whitefield School in Waltham Forest, Bishop Ullathorne School in Coventry, and Capital City College Sixth Form in Islington. Some of these reports can be read at socialistparty.org.uk