The UCU lecturers’ union conference in Manchester last week was dominated by discussion of how Labour’s neoliberal policies are harming education. It was marked by a growing confidence that lecturers can fight back.
Members of the NASUWT teachers’ union at Sinfin Community School in Derby were out on strike on Wednesday of last week in protest against plans to turn the school into an academy.
Teachers were under attack once again this week. Jim Knight, the schools minister, said that every school has at least one bad teacher who should be "helped" to "move on" to a different job.
New Labour has found a new way to bring privatisation into education with its plans to scrap pupil referral units and leave young people at the mercy of private companies.
Oldham protest against academies
Over 100 parents, children, teachers and local residents held a lively and noisy protest at the planned site for one of three proposed city academies in Oldham in Lancashire on Wednesday of last week.
Teachers in the National Union of Teachers (NUT) at Withins School in Bolton are due to strike on Thursday of next week after 94 percent voted for action in a recent ballot.
The Strike vote by further education lecturers vote is brilliant. It reflects the fact that a lot of hard work from UCU union members has gone into the campaign. People are absolutely thrilled – we now have a two to one in favour of strike action and a seven to one vote in favour of some sort of action.
