Strike threat by teachers over classroom job losses
TEACHERS are threatening strike action over fears about job cuts in London’s East End. They’re fighting plans by Haggerston Girls’ Secondary to axe 13 posts and up to three part-time teaching roles
TEACHERS are threatening strike action over fears about job cuts in London’s East End.
They’re fighting plans by Haggerston Girls’ Secondary to axe 13 posts and up to three part-time teaching roles.
The school in Shoreditch has an estimated budget shortfall due to falling pupil numbers, despite last year’s huge surplus.
Now Hackney Teachers’ Association wants to ballot for industrial action.
NO LOSSES
“We draw a very simple line,” said the association’s Mark Lushington.
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“We won’t accept compulsory redundancy and won’t endorse any loss of earnings.”
The school is undergoing a management refit’ in which teachers in threatened posts are being “invited to apply for roles in a new structure”—but won’t be guaranteed success, according to head teacherMaggie Kalnins who also does not rule out compulsory redundancies.
REDUNDANT
“Not everyone will agree with the plan,” she admits. “It will impact more on some than others, but this new structure will take the school forward.”
She added: “Nobody wants to say, You’re being made redundant.’ But sometimes we have to make decisions we don’t like.”
Haggerston is introducing boys next year—but the intake is likely to be 80 short of capacity.
Haggerston Girls’ ironically had a �1.3 million budget surplus last year. But this went on improvements such as a new IT suite and learning centre.
