Teachers at Withins School in big vote for action

Members of the NUT teachers’ union at Withins School in Bolton were set to strike on Thursday of this week, after a 94 percent vote for action.

The strike is over a trade dispute with Bolton council, which plans to transform the school into an academy, changing the teachers’ employer without their consent.

Philip Roberts, an NUT rep at the school, said, “This strike will show the strength of feeling.”

The strike has important implications for all other groups of workers in the public sector who face privatisation.

Barry Conway, the divisional secretary of Bolton NUT, told Socialist Worker, “I would like teachers and parents and all school staff across the country to get behind our Withins School members in this extremely important stand they are taking.”

Four anti-academies campaigners were elected to Barrow-in-Furness council last week, unseating the Tory leader of the council.