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From The Socialist newspaper, 24 March 2021
Beal High school strike as management refuse to negotiate over fair sick pay scheme
School staff picket in Hackney. Photo: Rob Williams (Click to enlarge)
Beal High school in Redbridge east London faces a six-day shutdown just two weeks after reopening. Members of the National Education Union (NEU) have overwhelmingly voted to strike following the school's refusal to renegotiate a fair sickness pay policy.
Unlike most of Redbridge schools, staff employed after 2016 at Beal High are not entitled to the nationally agreed sick pay scheme for teachers and support staff, and staff who are off sick (even if signed off by a doctor or hospital) are treated the same as workers facing disciplinary action.
Glenn Kelly, National Education Union (NEU) regional officer, said: "How can it be right that a teacher working alongside a colleague doing the same job is entitled to less sick pay? How can it be right that a worker unfortunate enough to become unwell can be treated like they are a bad teacher or one who has done something wrong?"
The first day of strike action is due to take place on the 25 March involving 146 teachers and support workers at the school.
Glenn added: "For three months we have been asking the school management to meet to try and negotiate a fair scheme, and for three months they have ignored us. It appears that they would rather that pupils and parents schooling is disrupted than try to resolve the situation."
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The coronavirus crisis has laid bare the class character of society in numerous ways. It is making clear to many that it is the working class that keeps society running, not the CEOs of major corporations.
The results of austerity have been graphically demonstrated as public services strain to cope with the crisis.
The government has now ripped up its 'austerity' mantra and turned to policies that not long ago were denounced as socialist. But after the corona crisis, it will try to make the working class pay for it, by trying to claw back what has been given.
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In The Socialist 24 March 2021:
Protest
Defying the anti-protest restrictions
Police attempt to silence mothers
NHS
Haringey: Hands off our GP practices
Elections
Battle for a fighting, anti-austerity Liverpool mayor
Help fund the Socialist Party's stand as part of TUSC
Fighting Sexual Harassment
Fighting sexual harassment and gender violence on campus
Paris Commune 150 Years
150th anniversary of the Paris Commune
2011 Pensions Strike
Lessons of the 2011 pensions strike: when workers showed their power
Workplace News
PCS elections: increased support for Broad Left Network
Engineering workers strike against 'fire and rehire' in Leicester
'Sleep-ins' ruling must lead to a huge campaign for social care workers' rights
Shrewsbury Pickets win: Convictions overturned
Sparks continue protests against deskilling
Beal High school strike as management refuse to negotiate over fair sick pay scheme
Preparing to organise workers in Enfield
Support victimised bus driver reps and Socialist Party members Declan and Moe
Goodlord workers continue all-out strike
Campaigns
Save John Carroll - fight is far from over!
Stop evictions and drop the debts
Online meeting - Ending violence against women, the socialist approach
Socialist Party regional conferences meet online
Readers' Opinion
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