Workplace news in brief


Lewisham academies

Teaching unions NUT and NASUWT in Lewisham, south London have called further two-day strike action on 3-4 June. This continues the fight against the proposals from Leathersellers’ Federation governors to convert the three Prendergast Federation schools into academies.

The tremendous campaign to oppose the Prendergast conversion plans has already seen student protests, local demonstrations, rallies and strikes. If governors choose to impose their plans against this level of opposition, it will divide and alienate their own school community, damaging education.

On 3 June after the pickets, protesters will be lobbying the medieval Leathersellers’ Company in the city of London to hand in a letter calling on the governors to reconsider their proposals.

Then in the evening they will lobby Lewisham’s mayor and cabinet which will be considering their response to the consultation. Last March, the mayor said that “as things currently stand I would not expect to be able to support the proposal”. Join us in the audience to make sure the Mayor knows the strength of opposition to Prendergast’s plans.

Lewisham Socialist Party members

Swansea teachers

Teachers employed in Swansea’s ‘Education Other Than at School’ (EOTAS) service have been forced to take two days’ strike action in response to the Labour council’s attempt to slash their service in half, leaving some of the city’s most vulnerable children without adequate provision.

Members of the NASUWT and NUT teaching unions had lively protests outside the council’s Civic Centre to highlight the damage these cuts will have, especially on children with mental health problems.

Helen John, assistant secretary of Swansea NASUWT, said these cuts were savage and would leave many vulnerable children without the opportunity of a proper education.

These cuts are part of the Labour council’s £81 million of ‘savings’ over three years. Education has been butchered to the tune of £5 million cuts a year with the NUT predicting dozens of mainstream teaching redundancies over the next few months.

Alec Thraves