Strike over teacher wearing trainers called off

TEACHERS planning a five-day strike this week in support of their sacked colleague Adrian Swain have called it off following further talks with Town Hall bosses. Staff at St Paul s Way Community School in Bow Common where Mr Swain was

By Gemma Collins

TEACHERS planning a five-day strike this week in support of their sacked colleague Adrian Swain have called it off following further talks with Town Hall bosses.

Staff at St Paul's Way Community School in Bow Common where Mr Swain was fired for wearing trainers in December, had organised a serious of one-day strikes which were due to start tomorrow.

But the National Union of Teachers announced on Tuesday that the strike was off and a spokesman said: "Talks between the Union and the Local Authority have provided the basis for settling the dispute and the NUT considers the matter to be resolved."

The 57-year-old special-needs teacher lost his appeal to be reinstated earlier this month and more than 50 teachers were getting ready for the walk-out which could have resulted in the school closing for up to five days.

Mr Swain who was the school's National Union of Teachers representative wore trainers and tracksuit throughout his 17 years at the school and says the acting head should have consulted staff before imposing the new rules.

Tower Hamlets council has always insisted that he was fired for "continually failing to comply with a reasonable management instruction".