Teachers and ambulance workers out in latest Shropshire strikes
A union says teachers at schools across Shropshire have walked out on strike this morning – with disruption expected at a number of sites.
The latest National Education Union (NEU) strikes started this morning – although there were no pickets organised across Shropshire, with union members instead attending a meeting to discuss the current dispute with the Government.
It comes as Unite union members at West Midlands Ambulance Service, which covers the county, were also out on strike, and is the day after nurses who are members of the Royal College of Nursing walked out –– affecting the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital in Oswestry, and the Shropshire Community Health Trust.
John Boken, Shropshire branch secretary of the NEU, said some members had agreed to continue working in instances where exams are taking place – to avoid important disruption to pupils.
He said "most secondary schools" in the county were affected by the action, along with some primary schools, but was unable to confirm how many members the union has.
Mr Boken said that the lack of pickets, and agreement over exams, meant the action is "completely different from the last two occasions".
He added: "We listened to members and they wanted exam exemptions. You have got teachers who, just because they are on strike, does not mean they do not care about the impact."
Schools affected in Telford & Wrekin include – Coalbrookdale & Ironbridge Primary School, Dothill Primary School, Habadashers' Abraham Darby, Haughton Special School, Hollinswood Primary School, Lawley Primary School, Redhill Primary Academy, Telford Langley School, Telford Park School, and Woodlands Primary School.
In the Shropshire Council area the schools affected include – Beckbury, Bicton, Bishop's Castle Primary, Buntingsdale Primary in Market Drayton, Condover, Corvedale in Diddlebury, Gobowen, Harlescott Junior, Highley, John Wilkinson in Broseley, Meadows in Oswestry, Morville, Newtown, Onny in Onibury, St Lawrence Primary at Church Stretton, St Mary's Bluecoat in Bridgnorth, Whittington, Worfield, Bridgnorth Endowed, Corbet at Baschurch, The Grove at Market Drayton, Ludlow CE, The Marches in Oswestry, Mary Webb at Pontesbury, Meole Brace, Oldbury Wells in Bridgnorth, The Priory, Shrewsbury Academy, Sir John Talbot's, Thomas Adams, and William Brookes.
A spokesman for Telford & Wrekin Council said: "Schools in Telford and Wrekin are affected differently by today’s strike action, depending on the number of staff who are members of the NEU (National Education Union), the number that decide to strike today and other issues of absence, for instance staff illness.
"It is the schools’ responsibility to decide whether they stay open or fully or partially closed and to inform parents/carers of this.
"Our council has been providing guidance and advice to schools to support them on strike dates and to minimise the impact on the children’s learning."
The latest action comes as educations unions have warned of the potential for co-ordinated strikes, which would have a crippling effect on schools.
Mr Boken welcomed the prospect, saying: "Hopefully we will see in the next couple of months, not just our members on strike but all teachers."
He said members of the NEU had overwhelmingly rejected the offer made by the Government to settle the dispute.
