Staff at The Whitehaven Academy will go on strike tomorrow (Tuesday) it has been announced.
NASUWT the largest teachers union in the U.K have announced that their members in the academy will take strike action tomorrow. This is because the employer has 'failed to genuinely engage to resolve concerns of teachers over unacceptable management practices and poor working conditions'.
Chris Keates, General Secretary of the NASUWT, said:
“Teachers at the school have serious concerns about the way in which they are being managed and the working environment in the school, all of which directly affects the quality of education they are able to deliver to pupils.
“The NASUWT has made every effort to secure an agreed way forward and avoid strike action, but there has been no serious attempt by the employer to address the concerns of teachers over these issues.
“The teachers at Whitehaven Academy are all dedicated and committed members of staff who want professional working conditions to support them in their work to do the best for the pupils they teach.
“They deeply regret any disruption the strike action will cause pupils and parents and hope that the employer will work with them to fully address their concerns so that further strike action can be avoided.”
Chris Allen, NASUWT National Executive Member for Cumbria, said:
“This is the second time in less than a year that members have had to resort to taking strike action following the failure of the employer to address their serious concerns.
“Teachers’ patience has been exhausted. In order to avoid further strike action the employer must genuinely commit to working with the NASUWT to fully address these issues and support teachers to be able to do their best for the pupils of Whitehaven Academy.”
The school has recently been put into special measures after an inspection in November 2016. Since then, 70 members of staff have signed a petition threatening strike action. Whitehaven Academy has had six headteachers since Bright Tribe took over the school in 2014.
Teachers have claimed the school is in a state of disrepair and have recently released photos showing this.