NEU members at St Paul’s Way Trust School in Tower Hamlets started six days of strike action on 29 June against compulsory redundancies, and are continuing in July.
The school’s Trust claims to have a financial deficit, requiring cutbacks. However, the school is over-subscribed and has a waiting list of students wanting to join. Management has shown union reps the hole in the budget but refuses to show how it developed over previous years.
NEU members showed up in big numbers against the redundancies, with over 90 on the picket line outside the school.
The staffing restructure takes an axe to the Pastoral Support Team. The total number of posts has been reduced, but where existing posts are retained, a large number of them are being downgraded, in some cases by as much as 50%. The school has also significantly increased teaching hours and cut planning time to the statutory minimum of 10%.
The new proposals show no place for the wellbeing of children. The ballot result, with a 70% turnout and 98% in favour of action, shows the level of support for those members facing compulsory redundancy.
Some Unison members in the school refused to cross the picket line. Sadly, the lengthy ballot timetable, which the local branch heavily criticised, meant that Unison members would not be able to take action until two days before the end of term. This lack of urgency meant unfortunately they did not meet the Tory ballot turnout thresholds that Labour has kept in place.
Hugo Pierre, Tower Hamlets Socialist Party
