Join us today!
Printable version
Link to this page: https://secure.socialistparty.org.uk/issue/1167/33773
From The Socialist newspaper, 16 February 2022
National Education Union strike at girls' school chain over pensions
NEU members picket Nothwood College for Girls, London. Photo: Steve Harbord (Click to enlarge)
1,500 members of the National Education Union (NEU) at 23 independent schools within the Girls' Day School Trust (GDST) have taken strike action over plans to withdraw staff from the 'Teachers' Pension Scheme'. Socialist Party members joined them on picket lines.
Nottingham
Jean Thorpe, Nottingham Socialist Party member, spoke to Emma Furness, NEU shop steward at Nottingham Girls' High School.
"This is the first strike here in 149 years! The issue is pensions. The employer is threatening firing and rehiring us to get through a massive attack on our pensions. They are threatening to withdraw from the Teachers' Pension Scheme and replace it with one through Aviva that would leave the average teacher 20% worse off in retirement. There was a brilliant ballot turnout - an 84% turnout with a 95% yes vote. We have four picket lines today."
Northampton
Picketers lined the roads outside Northampton High School on 10 February as teachers stood together in solidarity against attacks on their pensions. There was a noticeable display of support from every HGV driver who passed the pickets.
Northampton High School is part of a chain of GDST independents. The company intends to slash pensions through removal of membership from the Teachers' Pension Scheme (TPS) and threatened fire-and-rehire tactics if this move was resisted. All before any consultation with the staff.
One teacher said: "A contract used to be binding, forever, now they just tear them up."
One of the NEU organisers told us this is the first strike for this school which had an even bigger turnout. The majority on the picket lines were women. When I asked one teacher what her pupils thought of the strikes she said: "I consider it part of my role to teach the girls to stand up for themselves, what kind of example would I be setting if I didn't fight?"
Five further days of action are planned for the 23-24 February and the 1, 2 and 3 March.
Katie Simpson, Northampton Socialist Party
Donate to the Socialist Party
Finance appeal
The coronavirus crisis has laid bare the class character of society in numerous ways. It is making clear to many that it is the working class that keeps society running, not the CEOs of major corporations.
The results of austerity have been graphically demonstrated as public services strain to cope with the crisis.
- The Socialist Party's material is more vital than ever, so we can continue to report from workers who are fighting for better health and safety measures, against layoffs, for adequate staffing levels, etc.
- We must be ready for the stormy events ahead and the need to arm workers' movements with a socialist programme - one which puts the health and needs of humanity before the profits of a few.
Inevitably, during the crisis we have not been able to sell the Socialist and raise funds in the ways we normally would.
We therefore urgently appeal to all our viewers to donate to our Fighting Fund.
In The Socialist 16 February 2022:
What we think
Britain's economic growth figures mask fragile false recovery
News
'Labour by name - Tory by policy'
Covid: Fight for full sick pay
Tory stealth taxes burden 'packhorse generation'
Left Labour MPs under pressure over Erdington
Neither Washington, London nor Moscow
Australian nurses strike against understaffing and low pay
Erdington by-election
Birmingham Erdington by-election
Campaigning in Birmingham Erdington by-election
Saltley Gate
From our history: 1972 miners' strike
PCS elections
PCS Elections 2022: Time for new union leadership
Workplace news
NEU strike at girls' school chain over pensions
University workers striking back
"If we don't fight, we won't win!"
Just Eat strike spreads and forces concessions
Join the scaffs mass picket at Scunthorpe steelworks
Worksop Wincanton workers win pay rise after strike
Campaigns
West Sussex care campaigners' victory
Why I'm going to Socialist Students conference
Campaigning to make 2 March student walkout happen
Stop eviction of Camden homeless collective
East Sussex: Poverty and cuts bring people to Socialist Party
Fund us to fight for socialism
Readers' opinion
TV: 'Death of Two Black Men: Police in the Spotlight'
How Cardiff Bay's redevelopment led to 'social cleansing'
Home | The Socialist 16 February 2022 | Join the Socialist Party
Subscribe | Donate | Audio | PDF | ebook
2021