Tamworth teachers plan further one-day strike to save sixth forms
Jun 26 2009 by Joanne Travis, Birmingham Post
Teachers in Tamworth are to take further strike action in their on-going campaign to save school sixth forms in the town from closing.
Members of the NASUWT and National Union of Teachers have staged several day-long stoppages at Tamworth’s secondary schools in protest at Staffordshire County Council’s plans to close all the sixth forms and open a post-16 centre. The unions are also opposed to proposals to turn Woodhouse Business and Enterprise College into an academy.
A further one-day strike has been announced by the NASUWT for next Tuesday which will target four of Tamworth’s secondary schools – Woodhouse, Belgrave, Rawlett and Wilnecote.
The union has again called on the new Conservative-controlled council to reverse the previous Labour-run authority’s proposals for Tamworth schools.
Chris Keates, NASUWT general secretary, said: “The union had hoped that the new council would have moved swiftly to implement their pre-election promise to call in the proposals of the previous administration and review them. Suspension of the current process, pending a review and discussions with the NASUWT on alternative proposals, could have avoided the need for the strike action on June 18 and that proposed for June 30. The question has to be asked why councillors are not honouring the pre-election commitment they gave. It would be outrageous if it turns out that the promises were just a ruse to get elected.”
Richard Sidley, NASUWT executive member for Staffordshire, said their members did not take strike action lightly. “Teachers cannot see why, in the face of such opposition from staff in the schools, parents and the local community, the new Conservative-led council does not initiate meaningful discussions while the Building Schools for the Future proposals are put on hold.”
A county council spokesman said their position remained unchanged with regard to its Building Schools for the Future and academy programmes.
