A LICHFIELD councillor says strikes by teachers is “a sign that the system has failed”.
Members of the National Education Union (NEU) at the Arthur Terry Learning Partnership have walked out in a row over planned redundancies.
They will begin a second day of industrial action today (15th January).
Sites including Anna Seward Primary School and Scotch Orchard Primary School are among those forced to close completely as a result of the strikes, while others will only be partially open.
Cllr Matthew Wallens, Reform UK member for Lichfield City North at Staffordshire County Council and Curborough ward at Lichfield District Council, said the blame for the situation lay at Labour’s doorstep.
He said:
“Teachers don’t take strike action lightly – when it happens, it’s a sign that the system has failed and that leadership has broken down.
“Labour like to present themselves as the party of education and the workforce, yet under their watch we’re seeing continued disruption in schools, uncertainty for parents and pupils caught in the middle. That’s not fair on teachers or children.
“Reform believe in common sense solutions – stable funding, honest management and leadership that steps in early so disputes don’t reach this point.
“Teachers deserve respect, parents deserve certainty and children deserve classrooms, not chaos.”
But Labour MP Dave Robertson said Cllr Wallens’ comments ignored the facts surrounding the strikes, adding that “pointless political point-scoring” would not help resolve the situation.
He said:
“What a totally misleading comment from Cllr Wallens – anyone who knows anything about this dispute knows it relates to internal financial issues within the trust that have been going on for a number of years.
“What needs to happen right now is for Arthur Terry Learning Partnership and the National Education Union to get around the table and find a way through this. I have said that to both parties this week in meetings with them.
“I will continue to focus my efforts on working towards a solution and not pointless political point-scoring that does nothing to get kids back to school and back learning.”
Further strike dates are scheduled to take place on:
- 20th January
- 21st January
- 22nd January
- 26th January
- 27th January
- 28th January
- 29th January
