THERE were more than 40,000 teachers and other striking workers on the NEU demonstration on Wednesday 1st February – with the front of the march arriving for the rally which started in Whitehall at 1pm, while the back of the march was still yet to leave the BBC building in Portland Place.
A huge loudspeaker system and projected film screen broadcast the speeches to the massive crowd.
National Education Union members were joined by delegations of striking workers from the PCS, RMT, ASLEF and UCU unions and other supporters.
The first speaker at the rally, was Mary Bousted, Joint General Secretary of the NEU, who said: ‘They try and paint unions as the villains, but it won’t wash. We fight for what is right, for enough to eat and keep warm and for public services which families depend on.
‘NEU members know that their schools are running on empty. Mr Hunt talked about Silicon Valley – but there are only half the teachers necessary who are skilled in computing. Half of IT is taught by teachers without training.
‘Sunak spoke of having maths teaching to the age of 18 years. But one in eight maths lessons are taken by teachers with no qualifications in maths.
‘How did we get to a situation where half of pupils are taught by unqualified teachers? We have the highest class sizes in primary and secondary schools. Teachers’ pay has dropped by 20% since 2010. Teachers are taking part-time jobs as they can’t pay the bills.’
Teacher Lucy Pastor said: ‘I lie awake at night thinking, what will it take for them to listen. Do they choose heating or eating … I am a single mum with a three and four-year-old, and have been teaching in secondary school for 12 years.
‘Cuts are systemic and there is criminal underfunding, erosion of pay and working conditions. I strike because I am desperate. Our education and children demand better. In this country there are the highest childcare charges in Europe, making it difficult for women to be teachers. I work part time. I am overdrawn every month and have to take in student lodgers. It’s not a good way to live.’
Paul Whiteman, General Secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers said: ‘Your fight is our fight. There has been industrial action in Northern Ireland, and it is starting in Wales. I can confirm we will ballot again in England.
‘There is a history of struggle in the trade union movement. When you oppress working people they push back. We have to stand firm. Our cause is just. It is about saving education for our children.’
Mark Serwotka, General Secretary of the Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) said: ‘Greetings to this fantastic show of strength. Sunak knows the cost of everything and the value of nothing. My children were brought up by the fabulous NUT members in their state schools in Croydon and UCU members in higher education.
‘100,000 PCS members are on strike today, working in such places as the Cabinet Office, Serious Fraud Office, the British Museum, pensions and dole offices and airports. 40,000 civil servants use food banks. 45,000 claim benefits.
‘All they’ve offered us is 2% They plan to sack 90,000 staff. They have cut terms and conditions. We are saying, NO!’
‘The government says they can’t afford it. PCS members in HMRC told the former Chancellor, he hadn’t paid his taxes. Today, a strike of half a million workers is taking place – the biggest strike in over ten years.’
Jo Grady, General Secretary of the UCU said: ‘This rally is a message to the mainstream media and to our students and colleagues and people we work for.
‘They say we have the audacity to coordinate strikes. The Tory government has the audacity to coordinate with business who try to stop us striking. They coordinate zero hours contracts and fire and rehire.
‘We are on our fourth day of strike action. We are moving our employers, not enough. You can do the same. … UCU will re-ballot later this month … Be proud Be strong.’
The General Secretary of the TUC, Paul Nowak said: ‘This is a fantastic turnout. The biggest in the trade unions for 30 years – 300,000 from the NEU, 100,000 civil servants, 70,000 university lecturers, plus train and bus drivers. And more are in struggle: Physiotherapists, postal workers, Amazon and midwives standing up for a decent pay rise.
‘The government won’t negotiate seriously. They are making it more difficult to take strike action. We’re going to fight to protect the right to strike. Even if workers win the ballot, an employer can force a worker to work and sack them if they don’t. Not on our watch! We will fight for the right to strike.
‘There is crisis in class-rooms, hospitals, civil services and on the railways. It all lies at the door of numbers 10 and 11 Downing Street. There have been decades of underfunding and poor pay.
‘Negotiate with the unions. Deliver on pay. Go back and talk to friends at the workplace. This is a serious political chance to build a stronger, diverse trade union movement. Be proud of our unions.’
Lucy Cut, a nursery teacher from Brent said: ‘There is a massive crisis affecting special needs, the NHS, social care and housing. We see it day in day out. Their answer is more repression, taking away our rights.
‘For example the lack of speech and language therapy – it’s not the fault of refugees. WE are the answer. It’s us the working class who cares to provide a society that provides for them.’
Katie Leggal from the FBU said: ‘Let’s stand together and get organising. Without that we wouldn’t have women’s rights, weekends, or holiday pay. They want to take our organisations away from us.’
Eddie Brand, London Unison Ambulance Service Secretary, said: ‘We provided life and limb cover, for heart attacks. As ambulance staff we know how to provide a safe service. We worked during the pandemic, and in healthcare 24 hours a day 365 days a year. We are now being attacked with a new bill. We want a safe service, and decent pay.’
Mick Whelan ASLEF General Secretary said: ‘Sunak says that trade unions are anti-worker. We are committed to our communities and families. Every worker deserves better wages. They found the time to legislate to increase bankers’ bonuses. It’s the profiteers driving inflation in the UK. This is just the start. No zero hours! No fire and rehire! No P&O!’
The final speaker was Mick Lynch, secretary of the RMT, who said: ‘Hello what a beautiful sight. Every worker needs a pay rise – a square deal. We are united and will not be divided by who we work for, region or colour of our skin.
‘We are back here demanding change. We refuse to be poor. We are for our people on our terms. There are marches and demos all over the country. There are more ballots and more demands.
‘They should get out of the way. Get a new government, a new general election. They will not win the day. This is the fight of a generation – the fight for our future. Up the unions! Victory for us! Solidarity!’
The meeting ended with the chairwoman announcing the 15th March as a National Day of Action to be organised by the unions on the streets of London.
SHEFFIELD
Several hundred angry trade unionists and workers marched through Sheffield on Wednesday insisting: ‘We are fighting back right across the country.’
One emphasised: ‘Half a million workers are on strike today, and now a million workers have voted for industrial action. There are now more strikes to come. Let’s hear it for ambulance workers, for the nurses and the train drivers. Sheffield needs a pay rise. So we now have a plan for the biggest May Day March ever seen in this city.’
Leading delegations also on the march were South Yorkshire members of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU), and NEU teachers’ union from Prince Edward Primary School, Longley Park Sixth Form College, Dobcroft Infant School, Handsworth Community School, High Stores School, King Edward VII and Meadowhead schools.
Matthew Malik from UCU said: ‘I am Sheffield university’s union pensions officer. This time is different. Half a million strikers are out today – as our pay gets cut every year. Are we still living in feudal times, having to beg for the right to strike?’
He added: ‘We will win. The largest step is always one by one …’
TUC Yorkshire Regional Secretary, Bill Adams said: ‘Let’s hear it for ambulance workers, for the nurses and the train drivers. Sheffield needs a pay rise!
‘We are here in solidarity with workers – workers who have voted for strike action must “pull linen” or they will face the sack.
‘We’ve had enough! We are fighting back right across the country – half a million workers are on strike today and a million workers have voted for industrial action; strikes to come.’
NORWICH
In Norwich, hundreds of people gathered outside City Hall to support teachers striking over pay, working conditions and staff resources on Wednesday afternoon.
Will Harrahan, who teaches English at a city school, said: ‘We have a situation here where teachers are leaving the profession in droves. It’s creating a situation where children are missing out on their education, so it’s as much about them as it is us.
‘There’s too much work-load and demand placed on teachers, giving up weekends to mark papers or catch up on admin work. I know teachers who regularly work 60-hour weeks – these strikes are a last resort to change this.’
Harry Thomas, a special needs teacher at Fred Nicholson School in Dereham, added: ‘People are focusing on teachers pay but it’s funding for schools and education as a whole. We’re under-resourced, which means we struggle and can’t meet a lot of the needs for children. We have long working days and it’s now all becoming too much.’
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