David Kaplan, UCU member at WM College, personal capacity

Teaching assistants are going on strike for a second time at Richard Cobden Primary School in Camden, from Tuesday 18 to Friday 21 November.

More than 20 of the Unison members voted to take strike action in October, following a proposed restructuring in which a number of support staff posts were deleted and teaching assistants were given additional duties.

Camden Unison opposed the redundancies and the resultant excessive workload. The union also argued that teaching assistants’ jobs should be on a higher grade, following a job evaluation.

Members voted in a ballot: they got a 50% turnout, with 100% voting for strike action. The membership has increased on the basis of the strike action.

The picket line has been incredibly lively. Local and national trade unionists have visited the picket line, including Angela Egan, candidate for Unison general secretary (who Socialist Party members in Unison are supporting).

Strikers are planning to organise a deputation to Camden Labour council’s general meeting on 17 November. This strike, along with the strike of British Library workers just down the road, confirms the need for political representatives in both councils and parliament who are prepared to fight for workers’ rights.