NUT strike: march and rally in London

On Tuesday, July 5, NUT members across England will be participating in a day of strike action to demonstrate their concerns about the Government’s plans to reduce funding for education, and its consequences for children’s learning and for teachers’ terms and conditions.

Members in London will be gathering for a march to Parliament Square.

March Details
Assembly: 11am in Portland Place, London W1A 1AA (outside the BBC)
March: 12 noon to Westminster through Central London. Route.

Rally Details
Time/Venue: 1.30pm in Parliament Square.
Speakers:
Kevin Courtney, National Union of Teachers
Madeleine Holt, Rescue Our Schools
Striking teachers
Speakers from Unison, UCU
Aislinn Macklin-Doherty (BMA junior doctor)
More TBC

Information about other rallies around the country can be found here.

Kevin Courtney, Acting General Secretary of the National Union of Teachers, the largest teachers’ union, said:

“The NUT is aware that strike action can be disruptive to parents and carers and for that we wholeheartedly apologise. Equally, teachers do not take strike action lightly. The problems facing education, however, are too great to be ignored and we know many parents share our concerns.

“The strike is about the underfunding of our schools and the negative impact it is having on children’s education and teacher’s terms and conditions. Schools are facing the worst cuts in funding since the 1970s. The decisions which head teachers have to make are damaging to our children and young people’s education. Class sizes going up, school trips reduced, materials and resources reduced, and subjects – particularly in the arts – are being removed from the curriculum. Teaching posts are being cut or not filled when staff leave. All of this just to balance the books.

“No parent wants this for their children. No teacher wants this for their school or pupils. With political parties in turmoil since the EU referendum, it is imperative that education is put to the forefront of every election campaign. The problems schools face need addressing immediately. We must not let the education of the next generation be side lined.”

Our earlier statement confirming the strike and ballot result is available here: https://www.teachers.org.uk/news-events/press-releases-england/nut-ballot-result

Defend pay and conditions, stand up for education, strike and rally on 5 July!

A message to teachers:

Over the last few weeks, thousands of NUT members have been voting in our national ballot to defend school funding and teachers’ terms and conditions. 

The result of that ballot has now been declared: an overwhelming 91.7% majority of the votes returned were in support of taking strike action. In response, the NUT’s National Executive has therefore backed a first day of strike action on Tuesday 5 July.

The Government’s proposed cuts to school funding – especially here in London – threaten job losses, even greater workload and teachers losing out on pay progression. They also threaten the educational opportunities of the children you teach. 
 
That’s why I am calling on members to support the Union’s strike call so that, together, we can make a stand to demand:
* increased funding to schools and education,
* guaranteed terms and conditions in all types of schools, 
* resumed negotiations on teacher contracts to allow workload to be addressed.

Please also help us make the biggest impact we can on the day by joining teaching colleagues, governors and parents on our March and Rally for Education on 5 July:
11 am - assemble in Portland Place, London W1A 1AA (outside the BBC)
12 noon - march to Westminster through central London
1:30pm - rally in Parliament Square

Do you want to know more? - listen to Kevin Courtney:

A message to parents:

The NUT are taking action to defend teachers' terms and conditions but, in doing so, we are taking action to defend children's education.

With so many teachers being driven out of the profession by excessive workload - exacerbated in the capital by the cost of housing - schools already face a recruitment crisis. 

To make things worse, schools now also face significant spending cuts. In London, budgets could be cut by as much as 20% over the next few years. That would have to mean staffing cuts, bigger class sizes and less support for children - as well as cuts to teachers' pay, terms and conditions.

The Government has, predictably, already accused the NUT of 'playing politics'. No, we regret the disruption that our action will inevitably cause to parents on the day, but it is the politics of this Government that are causing the permanent damage through worsening morale, rising teacher shortages, budget cuts and forced academisation. We hope our action can help persuade the Government to think again.

I would appeal to parents to join us in our March for Education on July 5th so that, together, we can Stand Up For Education.

 Do you want to know more? - listen to my interview on BBC Radio London tonight: