East Lancashire schools to be hit by more industrial action (From Lancashire Telegraph)
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East Lancashire schools to be hit by more industrial action
1:34pm Tuesday 2nd October 2012 in News
By Jessica Cree, Education reporter
EAST Lancashire schools will be hit by escalated industrial action by teachers from tomorrow.
The row is over pay, pensions and workload, with teachers saying they have ‘deep concerns’ for their profession.
As part of the protest, members of the National Union of Teachers (NUT) will join the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT), which has been involved in the action since December.
They will only produce one written report a year to parents, not submit lesson plans to senior managers and refuse to invigilate mock exams.
Teachers will be able to supervise activities outside school hours, such as sports clubs and drama, if they are happy to do so, but will refuse if it is imposed on them by a headteacher.
Union members will also only send and respond to work-related emails during school hours.
Simon Jones, NUT Blackburn with Darwen secretary and national executive member, said: “The NASUWT and the NUT are campaigning together to defend teachers and protect education.
“The united approach of the two unions, representing nine out of 10 teachers, provides an opportunity to put pressure on the Government to address the continual attacks on the teaching profession.
“The action we are taking at this stage will have a positive benefit on children’s education and restore a balance to the working lives of teachers.
“The continual attacks on the teaching profession and the erosion of working conditions and pay cannot go on.”
A Department for Education spokesman said: "We are very disappointed that the NUT has chosen to take industrial action.
“Only a tiny minority of their members voted in favour, but it will damage the profession’s reputation.
“The NUT and NASUWT are taking industrial action about pay and working conditions before the independent pay review body has made any recommendations.”
