Louise Cuffaro, Newham NEU secretary and National Executive member, personal capacity
After three weeks and ten days of strike, and a strong daily picket of support staff, teachers and parents, we won everything we asked for. Most importantly: no compulsory redundancies, and monthly meetings with the head about ‘restructuring’ due to falling rolls.
However, deficit budgets and falling rolls is a London-wide crisis. ‘Lighting fires’ is not sufficient on its own. We have to fight for smaller class sizes, higher staff-to-pupil ratios, and a return of schools to local authorities – democratically run, accountable and fully funded to their needs. Schools are not businesses, and marketisation and funding are not school-by-school issues.
