1. Strike Thurs 27th & Tues 2nd Question Time Ealing on 27th
i) What Are The Strike Plans/Activities?
ii) Agreed Exam Dispensation
2. Solidarity Message From Ealing NAHT
3. ASCL (Secondary Headteachers) To Ballot For Strike Action!
4. Build the Strikes Link The Fights Reject Bad Deal
PowerPoint for School Meeting Pay_update_ April_2023
1i. Strike
Thurs 27th April
Picket lines and school gate meetings
Followed by mass leafleting in Ealing and Strike Hardship fund collection
Lobby Ealing MPs for an official Westminster Hall debate where a Government minister must attend.
Visual Presence For BBC Question Time Outside Greenford Hall in Greenford on 27th April – Apply to be part of the audience. Ask a question!
Tues 2nd May
Picket lines and school gate meetings
London wide march & protest where we ‘engulf’ the DfE. Hopefully we will be marching with nurses who will also be on strike. See flyer below for details.
1ii. Agreed Exam Dispensation
Firstly it is important to state that neither the NEU nor an employer can compel any member not to strike on the 27th and 2nd. However, Ealing NEU has agreed the following positions:
1. Non practical exams (e.g. Maths English Humanities) members should be on strike, however work can be set and marked/feedback given another time.
2. Practical exams – members will be given dispensation if they want it. (It is anticipate most will want dispensation).
3. Practical lessons – your school NEU group will decide whether those lessons work will be set or those members come in – for those lessons only.
It is important that your school NEU meeting happens as early as possible so that your headteacher can inform parents/carers of your decision.
4. We recognise that paid boosters for Y11 & Y13 as a compensation may not work because secondary schools are already saturated with boosters. However it may partially help.
5. If a NEU member does come in on the 27th or 2nd for their Y11 and/or Y13 classes ONLY, then we expect them to be paid for the whole day. We ask that those members make a donation to the strike hardship fund.
6. There is no dispensation for Y6 classes. The view was:
If they haven’t got it by now, then they never will
Ofsted is unfit for purpose, it caused the dreadful suicide of Ruth Perry primary headteacher in Reading; we need an accountability framework that is supportive and not punitive. SATs serve no educational purpose – worse they destroy the love of learning. Secondary schools set their own tests for Y7, CATs. SATs are part of the exam factory culture, or ‘drill & kill’ as our American education sister unions put it.
NEU national guidance for Y11 & Y13 exam dispensation
Email sent to secondary Ealing headteachers Email To 2 HTs Exams and Strikes
Email sent to primary Ealing headteachers Email to Primary HTs Exams & Strikes
2. Solidarity Message From Ealing NAHT
“As the NAHT London Regional Secretary and also the Ealing NAHT Branch Secretary I know NAHT members are proud of the work and actions taken by NEU reps and members over the past few months in fighting for better education outcomes for pupils in our schools and also for better outcomes for staff in our schools. It was historic that NAHT even balloted for industrial action in England and sadly we fell short of the extremely high thresholds set by government to thwart actions by unions.
I know NAHT colleagues in Ealing, London and more widely across the country were very supportive of the actions taken as from my own point of view, I hope that following a new ‘online ballot’ we have conducted that we will soon be in a position to join you all fighting and striving for the best outcomes for pupils and staff across the education sector.
For now I wish you well with your actions on the 27th and on the 2nd and know that many colleagues stand in solidarity with you. Your fight is our fight and it is a fight that we must win for those pupils in our schools who deserve high-quality, well-paid and respected staff alongside great provision, safe environments and a wide engaging curriculum. Good luck!
In solidarity!
Dave”
Mr Dave Woods (My pronouns are “he/him/his”)
Ealing NAHT Branch and London Regional Secretary
London NAHT NEC Member/ Chair of International Committee
3. ASCL (Secondary Headteachers) To Ballot For Strike Action!
Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said:
“ASCL has never before formally balloted at a national level and this is clearly a very significant step. The fact that we have reached this point reflects the desperate situation regarding inadequate funding, long-term pay erosion, teacher shortages, and the intransigence of a government which we can only conclude does not value the education workforce or recognise the severe pressures facing the sector.
We have made every effort to resolve this matter through negotiations prior to reaching this point. Unfortunately, the government’s offer has failed to sufficiently address pay and conditions, and, critically, did not provide enough funding for even the meagre proposal it put forward. Following the rejection of the offer by all education unions involved – ASCL, NAHT, NEU and NASUWT – the government has made no effort to reopen negotiations and has said only that the issue of pay will now revert to the School Teachers’ Review Body.
The conclusion of the Executive Committee is that the government has left us with no option other than to conduct a formal ballot for national strike action.
This action is taken as a last resort and with a heavy heart, but we cannot accept the continued damage to education caused by government neglect and complacency.”
4. Build the Strikes Link The Fights Reject Bad Deal
