Most staff working for the National Education Union are due to walk out on strike this week over a restructure they say is being carried out without “meaningful consultation”.
More than 400 employees who are members of the Unite union will talk out tomorrow and on Wednesday (July 15 and 16) to demand “guarantees around workload, downgrading of roles, fixed-term contracts and avoiding forced redeployment”.
The union’s latest annual return shows the average total number of employees at the union was 555 last year.
Unite said its members were “angry over how plans for a significant restructure have been mishandled by NEU management.
“Where issues have been identified by Unite reps, management have proved unwilling to compromise or move towards resolution of the issues.”
But an NEU spokesperson said it was “disappointing for staff members of Unite to vote to go ahead with strike action this week when the offer of further negotiations remains open”.
Unite said almost 85 per cent of those voting in its ballot supported strikes, on a turnout of over 70 per cent.
‘End last-minute announcements and rushed decisions’
Unite said its members had been forced to strike by a “lack of meaningful consultation and management intransigence”, and accused the NEU of breaching its own restructure policy.
Workers “want an end to last-minute announcements, rushed decisions, and a total lack of respect for staff voices”.
Unite regional officer Zimeon Jones said: “Our members are fighting to protect their union against substantial changes that have not been adequately consulted on.
“An overwhelming majority of members voted for industrial action and staff are saddened that talks with Unite reps to resolve this dispute have resulted in only limited movement from the employer.”
He said members were “overworked, overstressed and underappreciated but remain committed to reaching a resolution. We urge management to join reps for further talks to resolve the dispute.”
The NEU is the UK’s and Europe’s largest education union, and is the fourth largest union in the Trades Union Congress.
NEU: Decision to strike ‘disappointing’
An NEU spokesperson said: “It is disappointing that Unite has decided to go ahead with strike action.”
They pointed out Unite was one of two staff unions within the NEU, “the other being GMB which is not taking action and continues to be involved in constructive ongoing negotiations”.
“It is disappointing that staff members of Unite should vote to go ahead with strike action this week when the offer of further negotiations remains open.
“We believe that the majority of the demands put to us by Unite have been met and that a settlement is within reach. The NEU remains fully committed to continue with negotiations to ensure a resolution that is satisfactory to all is reached.”
It is not the first time in recent history that staff working for an education union have themselves voted to take industrial action. Employees of the NASUWT teachers’ union voted in 2018 to strike over changes to their pensions.
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