by Hannah Sell
National Education Union (NEU) members at Little Ilford School took their third day of strike action on 14 January. The strike was very solid, with teachers and support staff all out, resulting in the school closing. Although smaller than the previous day’s picket, it was still huge.
The desperate need to reduce workload, and for staff to have more autonomy to use their skills to provide the best possible education for students, was expressed by picketer after picketer. So too was confidence that the strike is having an effect on management. However, there were huge cheers when the NEU assistant secretary emphasised that, until a deal was done and signed off, further strikes would be necessary, starting the following week.
The issue of council underfunding, including cuts to SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) provision, and the rotten role of the ‘red Tory’ government were also raised by strikers, leading to discussion with some on the need for the trade union movement to have a political voice.