NUT strike: march and rally in London

On Tuesday, July 5, NUT members across England will be participating in a day of strike action to demonstrate their concerns about the Government’s plans to reduce funding for education, and its consequences for children’s learning and for teachers’ terms and conditions.

Members in London will be gathering for a march to Parliament Square.

March Details
Assembly: 11am in Portland Place, London W1A 1AA (outside the BBC)
March: 12 noon to Westminster through Central London. Route.

Rally Details
Time/Venue: 1.30pm in Parliament Square.
Speakers:
Kevin Courtney, National Union of Teachers
Madeleine Holt, Rescue Our Schools
Striking teachers
Speakers from Unison, UCU
Aislinn Macklin-Doherty (BMA junior doctor)
More TBC

Information about other rallies around the country can be found here.

Kevin Courtney, Acting General Secretary of the National Union of Teachers, the largest teachers’ union, said:

“The NUT is aware that strike action can be disruptive to parents and carers and for that we wholeheartedly apologise. Equally, teachers do not take strike action lightly. The problems facing education, however, are too great to be ignored and we know many parents share our concerns.

“The strike is about the underfunding of our schools and the negative impact it is having on children’s education and teacher’s terms and conditions. Schools are facing the worst cuts in funding since the 1970s. The decisions which head teachers have to make are damaging to our children and young people’s education. Class sizes going up, school trips reduced, materials and resources reduced, and subjects – particularly in the arts – are being removed from the curriculum. Teaching posts are being cut or not filled when staff leave. All of this just to balance the books.

“No parent wants this for their children. No teacher wants this for their school or pupils. With political parties in turmoil since the EU referendum, it is imperative that education is put to the forefront of every election campaign. The problems schools face need addressing immediately. We must not let the education of the next generation be side lined.”

Our earlier statement confirming the strike and ballot result is available here: https://www.teachers.org.uk/news-events/press-releases-england/nut-ballot-result