Friday 1 July 2011

Happy to be part of history

I received this message this morning from a retired teacher who had asked me for directions to the London Demonstration. What an example it gives of the widespread support for our action and the growing understanding of the need for all school staff to stand together in our trade unions - even in deepest Norfolk!

Dear Martin

We went and had a brilliant day out with 3000 police to guard us. And did we meet some lovely lovely people from all walks of life from all over London Town.
My wife shut her school in Ipswich despite threats from the Chief of Education: all positive from parents as the chair of governors sent out an informative kind letter; do we want 68 year old teachers? Teachers pension fund is sustainable as is! Many teachers will leave teaching; brill people will not join the profession.
The last two teachers in school joined ATL on Wed and the youngest teacher joined the strike (I will give her half a day's pay she lost as an encouragement for joining us even though she is ATL!). I persuaded 15 MSA and TA to join Unison: the school is now 100% Unionised.
I am a retired teacher and we did have a great adventure together after getting up at 4 am - home by 8pm, exhausted but happy to be part of history.

Granville, Wortwell Norfolk

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