THOUSANDS of teachers, students, and supporters gathered in London yesterday on the fifth day of strikes this year, organised by the National Education Union (NEU).
Assembling in front of the London Eye, the protesters marched toward the Department of Education, accompanied by healthcare workers, students, and other supporters.
In an interview with News Line, Kevin Courtney, the General Secretary of the NEU, stated: ‘In my opinion, the government should be very worried about our strength.
‘Going forward, it’s not going to be this or that union on their own making demands; I am, as I know others are, fully in support of coordinated strike action and support any call for unions to work together.’
TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak told the rally opposite Downing Street: ‘We’re hearing a lot from No. 10 and 11 demonising the teachers and demonising public sector workers. Let’s send one clear message, the only people to blame for these strikes are Rishi Sunak and Jeremy Hunt.
‘Instead of listening to the teachers and public sector unions, they are trying to make it more difficult for people to take strike action with their Minimum Services Level bill that’s going through parliament right now and let’s be clear what that legislation would mean.
‘It means that you all could vote in a lawful industrial action ballot, you could vote to strike. But the employer could ask you to go to work and if you didn’t go you could be sacked.
‘Not on our watch. We will defend the right to strike. We will stand with any public sector worker who loses their job over that nasty, spiteful legislation.
‘Not only will we defend the right to strike we will defend any worker who loses their job for exercising their basic fundamental right to take strike action. You sent a very clear message to the government on Friday when your union stood alongside the National Association of Head Teachers, the NASUWT, that the teachers will not be divided.
‘Everyone in the TUC will stand behind you, let’s stand together and fight together.’
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