Workers at Oaks Park are continuing their support of victimised NEU rep Keiran Mahon (uploaded 22/09/2021)
NEU members on strike

Steve Scott, branch secretary, East Riding NEU and national executive member

Wednesday 27 April saw day three of strike action at Pocklington School in East Yorkshire. The Independent school is threatening members of staff with the abhorrent practice of ‘fire and rehire’ in order to remove them from their pension scheme, the TPS.

Members of the NEU and NASUWT overwhelmingly voted for industrial action.

The staff do not want to be out on strike, they want to be doing their job, teaching the pupils. But through lack of dialogue and, in my opinion, lack of meaningful consultation, members feel like they have no option other than to undertake industrial action.

The unions have written multiple times to the school and the governors, only to be told that the employer will not enter into discussions with either union, who represent a majority of staff at the school. They insist that communication takes place via their lawyers!

The school is not in financial difficulty. This is the main message which staff conveyed throughout the consultation process. To add insult to injury, during this consultation over pensions, the school have written to parents informing them of an increase in fees, blaming the rise, amongst other things, on “staffing costs”.

With each day of strike action, more teachers join the picket line. They hope the employer comes round the table to seek a resolution to end the dispute.

The members originally voted for five days of action, with days four and five being 4 and 5 May, but after no signs of movement, members have voted for nine further days. The nine new proposed dates will run Tuesday to Thursday each week from 23 May.