Poor turnout for Worthing High academy strike (From The Argus)
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Poor turnout for Worthing High academy strike
1:10pm Wednesday 31st October 2012 in News By Ben James
A campaign against a school conversion to an academy could be grinding to a halt after union officials accused teachers of not supporting them.
There has been strong opposition to Worthing High School’s academy proposal since it was announced earlier this year.
The spring and summer saw a wave of protests including a mass teacher walkout in July which forced the school to close its doors for the day.
A second strike was planned for last Tuesday by two of the school’s three teachers’ unions.
A limited number of teachers were involved in the action which meant the school remained open.
The email, which The Argus has seen, was sent by Eric Skyte of the NASUWT union to members in response to the strike.
In it, he said: “Your acting Head said that only one in three of her staff were out. If this figure is correct this is very disappointing.
“Many people are working very hard on your behalf to try and prevent Worthing High School from becoming an academy: whether for philosophical reasons or due to the make-up of the governing body.
“To be blunt, what do you want the school to do? With this poor turnout should I be asking Chris Keates to cancel or continue with the next strike on 13th November?”
The school said that a “very high percentage” of staff decided to go to work on the day of the most recent strike which enabled them to stay open and provide an “alternative curriculum”. It estimated that just 16 of the school’s 120 staff picketed.
The email suggested union officials would look at another strategy but that they felt they had received “little support” from school staff.
Dave Thomas, from the National Union of Teachers, denied that the campaign was flagging.
He said: “Nothing has changed from the point of view of the teachers. They still feel as strongly as ever. They still believe that the consultation process was inadequate and think that it isn’t in the interests of the teachers, students or parents to convert to an academy.”
The school is set to officially convert in December.
Comments(13)
John Fallon
says...
1:56pm Wed 31 Oct 12
Kiddon72
says...
1:56pm Wed 31 Oct 12
Fight_Back
says...
1:57pm Wed 31 Oct 12
sbiscorrupt
says...
2:39pm Wed 31 Oct 12
But I'm pretty sure they'll also be the ones scratching their collective brain cell and mumbling 'how the h*ll did that happen'!...
Divide and rule always works on the numpties!
Cash Bull
says...
2:41pm Wed 31 Oct 12
Fight_Back wrote:Unlike last July when they did not consider them......
So the teachers decided childrens education was more important - same the Unions don't think that way. Instead they have plums like Bob Crowe, Mark Serwotka and Alex Knutson in charge who are nothing more than very well paid megalomaniacs. Now they're sulking - shame !
"The spring and summer saw a wave of protests including a mass teacher walkout in July which forced the school to close its doors for the day. "
I hope that those teachers that went to school are not branded SCABS by those that did not. It would be most unfair.
Number Six
says...
3:16pm Wed 31 Oct 12
Tailgaters Anonymous
says...
3:40pm Wed 31 Oct 12
Strange description "grinding halt"!!!
John Steed
says...
5:36am Thu 1 Nov 12
Cash Bull
says...
7:59am Thu 1 Nov 12
John Steed wrote:Not for the 2/3 of teachers who went to work.
shame about the frivolous comments, its actually quite a serious matter.
ourcoalition
says...
8:11pm Thu 1 Nov 12
Fight_Back wrote:Hi Dave - you're back!
So the teachers decided childrens education was more important - same the Unions don't think that way. Instead they have plums like Bob Crowe, Mark Serwotka and Alex Knutson in charge who are nothing more than very well paid megalomaniacs. Now they're sulking - shame !
I'm a plum, a meglomaniac, and I'm sulking - excellent! Three more words to add to my very lengthy list of things I have been called!
Wish the "well paid" was true though.
Oh, and one other thing, the dispute in this school has nothing to do with me, as I don't cover West Sussex.
And my 4,300 members in Brighton seem to think I do a good job, as they elect me every 12 months, for the last 24 years!!!!
And the very best of luck to my comrades in Worthing, by the way. At least they are fighting back against an unaccountable Academy experiment, that will be run by Whitehall, not local people and democracy.
Fight_Back
says...
9:18pm Thu 1 Nov 12
ourcoalition wrote:Well you're clearly not very bright if you think my name's Dave !!!!!
Fight_Back wrote:Hi Dave - you're back!
So the teachers decided childrens education was more important - same the Unions don't think that way. Instead they have plums like Bob Crowe, Mark Serwotka and Alex Knutson in charge who are nothing more than very well paid megalomaniacs. Now they're sulking - shame !
I'm a plum, a meglomaniac, and I'm sulking - excellent! Three more words to add to my very lengthy list of things I have been called!
Wish the "well paid" was true though.
Oh, and one other thing, the dispute in this school has nothing to do with me, as I don't cover West Sussex.
And my 4,300 members in Brighton seem to think I do a good job, as they elect me every 12 months, for the last 24 years!!!!
And the very best of luck to my comrades in Worthing, by the way. At least they are fighting back against an unaccountable Academy experiment, that will be run by Whitehall, not local people and democracy.
funkyyoyo
says...
12:44am Fri 2 Nov 12
Cash Bull wrote:perhaps next time they want to strike,take a look at how the french strike!!! hint hint!!!
Fight_Back wrote: So the teachers decided childrens education was more important - same the Unions don't think that way. Instead they have plums like Bob Crowe, Mark Serwotka and Alex Knutson in charge who are nothing more than very well paid megalomaniacs. Now they're sulking - shame !Unlike last July when they did not consider them...... "The spring and summer saw a wave of protests including a mass teacher walkout in July which forced the school to close its doors for the day. " I hope that those teachers that went to school are not branded SCABS by those that did not. It would be most unfair.
FC says...
1:50pm Wed 31 Oct 12
They had a time and a place. It's time to disband them.