Teachers 'we have no choice but to continue to strike'
World Book Day events have been postponed so some children don't miss out
Last updated 2nd Mar 2023
Teachers across the West Country will walk out today in a long-running row over pay and working conditions.
The National Education Union has 3,000 members just in Devon alone - and some schools will be holding their World Book Day events on Friday instead so children don't miss out.
Rallies will be taking place in Plymouth and Bristol, with picket lines at a number of schools - likely disrupting large numbers of parents and pupils.
Fiona Westwood, Senior Regional Officer for the NEU, said: “Sadly, the Government has once again refused to negotiate on the key issue of this year’s pay award for teachers in any sensible manner. This has led very directly to the action being taken today by NEU members. The remedy for this dispute lies in the Government’s own hands and it is not going to be resolved without reasonable negotiation on the key issues.
"Evidence suggests that headteachers and CEOs across the county continue to be broadly supportive of this action, as are parents. We have received many letters and emails of support from parents sent to schools and the union and senior leadership members have been visiting picket lines with refreshments for our members to show their active support. This is because they understand the issues involved.”
Mike Gurney, teacher and NEU rep at Okehampton College and Joint Branch Secretary, said: “I would like to apologise to parents and pupils across Devon whose schools are disrupted as result of today’s action, which is the direct responsibility of the Government. The public needs to appreciate that schools are in crisis and pupils’ education is suffering every day because of the government's failure to tackle pay and teacher recruitment in schools. Not enough teachers are being recruited and many are leaving for easier and better paid jobs elsewhere. It means there is a recruitment crisis with exam classes being taught by non-specialists and schools struggling day in and day out to staff classes. We cannot go on like this. The government needs to sit down and talk properly to its teachers about resolving these issues and they need to do this as a matter of urgency so we can all get back to what we do best, which is teaching in the classroom.”
George Barnicott, school representative in a Devon school, said: “I started teaching in 2011, and every year since then this Government has eroded the education every state school student receives in the UK. Teachers are working longer hours for less money and school funding has been decimated after year-on-year cuts to funding. Enough is enough. We’re striking for a fully funded pay rise that will not be detrimental to existing school budgets. This Government needs to recognise the value of teachers in our society and not see us as cheap childcare. This is harmful for children and their families as well as staff in schools. Future prospects of young people are being sacrificed due to the funding shortfalls. It cannot be a coincidence that thousands and thousands of public sector workers are striking, this Governments‘ stealth austerity policy is an ideological choice, not a practical necessity.”
Last week, Education Secretary Gillian Keegan invited the teaching unions to "formal talks on pay, conditions and reform" on the condition that this week's walkouts were suspended.
Ms Keegan has called the union's decision not to suspend the regional strikes "hugely disappointing".
Further national strikes by NEU members in England and Wales are planned for March 15 and 16.