The Socialist 8 January 2020

Climate change. Poverty. War. Capitalism must go - fight for socialism

Suleimani's assassination - Middle East thrown into turmoil

Trump attacks Iran - London protest: We need workers' action against war and austerity

Build union resistance to Tory attacks

Defend the right to strike

Defend the right to strike! - RMT and NSSN lobby parliament

2020: Class struggles and capitalist instability will intensify

Labour leadership election

Capitalism must go - fight for socialism

Trouble ahead for Johnson: Brexit is far from 'done'

Tory minimum wage hike not enough

Northern Rail franchise in question: nationalise the railways!

Children need intensive care? We don't care!

Shell pays £0 corporation tax, and plans huge hike in fossil output

Ignore the hype - austerity goes on: organise to resist

International wave of revolt continues

What next after the general election, for PCS and the left

Council concedes to striking winter gritters' demands

West Midlands RMT guards jobs saved

All we want for Christmas is a no-strings pay rise

Anti-academy strike action in Newham

Socialist Party members out on the streets

£50,240 - a new fighting fund record

Avenue of trees saved!

Students 2 : 0 Tories

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Newham anti-academies rally 26 February 2018, photo Niall Mulholland (Click to enlarge)

Anti-academy strikes in Newham

Members of the National Education Union (NEU) at St Angela's and St Michael's Catholic schools in Newham, East London, were on strike on 11 December against being forced into becoming privately run academies.

There's no evidence that academies improve schools. And they have been used to worsen terms and conditions for education workers.

The striking workers had a meeting with a wealth of experience in the room, including joint Newham NEU branch secretary Louise Cuffaro who helped lead the campaign that blocked the academisation of Avenue primary school in 2018. Parents' support was hugely important at Avenue. But it was strike action by staff that made the difference. They balloted for action as soon as they caught wind of academisation.

Socialist Party member Niall Mulholland addressed the 11 December striking teachers' meeting. He described how he helped lead a parents' campaign in support of striking teachers at Stratford Academy, also in Newham, in 2012. That strike beat 33% pay cuts.

Louise pointed out that previous teachers' and parents' action pressurised Newham's Labour council to oppose academisation. The council should immediately intervene to help stop academisation.

The diocese must withdraw its attempt to force schools into joining the multi-academy trust and the schools' governors must abandon the academisation drive. If they don't, five more days of strikes are planned for the new year.

Ian Pattison, East London Socialist Party

This version of this article was first posted on the Socialist Party website on 17 December 2019 and may vary slightly from the version subsequently printed in The Socialist.

In this issue

Iran

Suleimani's assassination - Middle East thrown into turmoil