Charlie, School Student
On Budget Day 15 March, teachers across England and Wales in the National Education Union (NEU) are set to strike nationally for the second time. The last time they took national strike action on 1 February alongside others, over 500,000 workers showed their opposition to the cost-of-living crisis.
There are set to be national demonstrations in London and Cardiff, with striking teachers and civil servants confirmed to be out so far.
Our schooling system has seen cuts over the last decade, with schools in deprived areas suffering the most. In real terms, teachers have seen a 15% decrease in their pay since 2010. The Tories have attacked starting salaries for teachers, lowering what they earn. And at a time of increased inflation, combined with higher workloads, fewer resources and fewer staff, it’s clear why teachers are taking action.
Students should join the fight and back teachers on strike; we are also suffering after over a decade of Tory rule. We are expected to pay huge amounts of money for university and end up in debt worth up to £45,000. We are expected to work for low wages, on zero-hour contracts, earning sometimes as little as £4.81 per hour as an apprentice.
On offer for us is expensive education cut to the bone, poverty wages and cramped rip-off housing. And they can’t even guarantee we will have a planet that is safe to live on. The Tory government has made no progress towards its already insufficient plan to tackle environmental destruction.
Joining teachers on 15 March will not only be a show of support for striking teachers. Young people are often overlooked and underrepresented in politics, so Budget Day gives us an opportunity to take a stand. Walking out of classes and lectures, we will be fighting alongside workers on strike to demand better wages, a better education system and a world in which workers and young people can live comfortably.
See Socialist Students conference – a key event for the fight back on campuses
