
The Socialist 1 June 2011
Strike - to defend jobs and pensions

Glencore - Profiting from global hunger
New attacks on women's sexual and reproductive rights
Disabled protester - "inadvertently struck with a police baton"
Shoesmith sacking - social work under growing pressure
Egypt and Tunisia: Revolutions at the crossroads
Greece: unite the struggles and bring down the government
Strike - to defend jobs and pensions
Government plans for the NHS: Privatisation and world class profits!
"Frontline first" a dangerous tactic - unity is the key
Cardiff NHS protest against Topshop tax dodger
Demonstration against closure of day centre in Llandeilo
Southampton - council workers' strike spreads
Saltend construction workers' struggle ends
Lewisham teachers - Action threat spells victory
Newcastle East Coast rail call centre - Save jobs!
18 years since Stephen Lawrence murder
Coventry action against academies grows
Yorkshire meetings make Jarrow plans
Lib Dems - a party rooted in capitalism
PDFs for this issue
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Link to this page: https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/issue/673/12144
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Home | The Socialist 1 June 2011 | Join the Socialist Party
Coventry action against academies grows
Sunara Begum, Coventry Socialist Party
A third trade union, Unison, has now joined the battle to defend comprehensive education against the privatisation of our education via 'academies' in Coventry.
Wednesday 25 May saw a meeting packed with almost 100 people, from school students to parents and teachers. Unison members at Tile Hill Wood school then walked out at lunchtime on 26 and 27 May. They were joined by NUT and NASUWT, as well as Youth Fight for Jobs activists and Socialist Party members on the picket lines.
Tile Hill Wood school's food and textiles technician said: "It's important to stick together in the fight against academies, and I'm on strike against academies for the same reasons as the teachers." She also said academies would mean "uncertainty for pupils and lead to dwindling numbers of pupils and more redundancies".
School students from both Woodlands and Tile Hill Wood, some of whom were preparing for exams, came to support the pickets as the lunch hour was ending. They gave a great boost of confidence and support to the striking teachers as they spoke of how, at this early stage of the campaign, students are fighting back alongside their teachers.
Petitions against academies have been signed outside classrooms. A Facebook page, ran by school and college students, is called Coventry Youth Against Academies. School pupils have refused to go into lessons in support of their teachers on strike.
There has also been a protest against academies in the school by school students. They were inspired by the anti-fees and save EMA protests that took place last autumn, including protests in Coventry that were organised by young members of the Socialist Party and Youth Fight for Jobs and Education.
Tile Hill Wood school has now seen its fifth action against academies. With a third union joining the action, and the possibility of other schools striking over academies, the fight will continue.
Please send emails to the chair of governors at Tile Hill Wood, expressing support for staff action: [email protected]
To get involved with the Coventry campaign against academies contact: [email protected]. You can also join the Coventry Youth Against Academies group on Facebook.
In this issue
Socialist Party news and analysis
Glencore - Profiting from global hunger
New attacks on women's sexual and reproductive rights
Disabled protester - "inadvertently struck with a police baton"
Shoesmith sacking - social work under growing pressure
International socialist news and analysis
Egypt and Tunisia: Revolutions at the crossroads
Greece: unite the struggles and bring down the government
National Shop Stewards Network
Strike - to defend jobs and pensions
Socialist Party NHS campaigning
Government plans for the NHS: Privatisation and world class profits!
"Frontline first" a dangerous tactic - unity is the key
Cardiff NHS protest against Topshop tax dodger
Demonstration against closure of day centre in Llandeilo
Socialist Party workplace news
Southampton - council workers' strike spreads
Saltend construction workers' struggle ends
Lewisham teachers - Action threat spells victory
Newcastle East Coast rail call centre - Save jobs!
Socialist history
18 years since Stephen Lawrence murder
Youth fight for jobs and education
Coventry action against academies grows
Yorkshire meetings make Jarrow plans
Socialist Party feature
Lib Dems - a party rooted in capitalism
Related links:
Selling the Socialist: increase in NHS anger
Students not to blame for unsafe uni conditions
The Socialist: More than a newspaper
Strikes are how to fight for state education
No to academisation of east London schools!
Anti-academy strike action in Newham
Act together to oppose unsafe numbers and rising workload
UNICEF feeds children in the UK for the first time
Workers' action wins Tory U-turn on school safety
Determined strikers at Leaways school
Welsh schools close for safety after union pressure
Socialist Students national meeting: Refund the rent, cancel the fees and fight for free education
Exams scrapped again - young people need a future with jobs and free education