STRIKING Village School teachers were in high spirits, yesterday, the third day of their action to stop their school being turned into an academy.
Pickets outside the school in Kingsbury, northwest London, were singing: ‘We shall overcome – no academy for us!’
National Education Union NUT section president Louise Regan told News Line on the picket line: ‘This strike is pivotal, given everything happening nationally. Most days there is a corruption case where academies are freeloading from the public purse.’
NEU ATL section London executive member Hank Roberts pointed out: ‘Yesterday there was an announcement of a CEO of an academy chain getting a £500,000 annual salary, the first time an academy CEO has tipped over half a million, and his pension is over £200,000 a year!’
Regan continued: ‘The government is telling our schools they can’t have Pritsticks, paper, pencils and other necessities while the privateers are paid a fortune. These picketers have had salary cuts; they are working more for less. We want all our schools back in accountable local authority control.’
Village School NEU rep Jenny Cooper said: ‘Twenty-one of us lobbied parliament yesterday. We met with local Labour MP for Brent North Barry Gardiner. He totally supports our strike and agreed to convene a public meeting in the Civic Centre.
‘He will also send letters out to parents, inviting them to come. The school has banned us from approaching the parents. He was also angry Brent council leader Muhammed Butt had attacked us saying we were punishing the children by striking.’
Hank Roberts told the strikers: ‘These academy bosses’ salaries are going through the roof while the staff are having pay cuts.’
Local teacher Jean Roberts added: ‘You are an example to all of us. Keep fighting – we can and have to win this.’
The strikers public meeting is next Thursday February 8 at 6pm, at Brent Civic Centre.