FURTHER STRIKE AT PRIMARY SCHOOL

9 NOVEMBER 2006

NASUWT members at Holy Spirit Primary School in St Helens will be on  strike again today (Thursday) after the local authority and school management refused to meet under the auspices of ACAS  to resolve a dispute over pay and conditions at the school.

The dispute was sparked by concerns over the way the way in which a national staffing structure review was carried out in the school.  Thousands of schools engaged in the process, worked with unions and followed the national guidance.  Holy Spirit has been one of the very few where there have been serious problems. Schools across the Country satisfactorily completed the process months ago.

Chris Keates, General Secretary of NASUWT, the largest union representing teachers and headteachers throughout the UK, said:

“It is irresponsible for any school engaged in a dispute to turn its back on opportunities to avoid strike action and to resolve the problem.

“Reference to ACAS offered the school management a route to resolution.  I am sure that parents will be dismayed that committed and dedicated teachers have been left with no choice but to take further action.

“Rumours are rife that the school management plans to hire outside teaching staff to keep the school open.  Such action would be foolhardy in the extreme and would only serve to deepen this already bitter dispute. “

John Rimmer, NASUWT’s National Executive Member for the area said:

“The school management has ignored DfES advice since the dispute began back in September 2005, and now they are ignoring the opportunity to resolve it.”