As striking teachers took to the streets in Bristol’s city centre today, south west leaders for the National Education Union slammed the leaked WhatsApp messages between Gavin Williamson and Matt Hancock in which they accuse teachers of ‘not wanting to work’.
The Telegraph reported this morning Williamson - the former education secretary - asked Matt Hancock - the then health secretary - to make sure schools had PPE equipment 'so they can’t use it as a reason not to open'. According to The Telegraph, in the October 2020 leaked messages, Hancock replied: “What a bunch of absolute arses the teaching unions are." Williamson replied: "I know, they really really do hate work."
Around 2,000 teachers from the region arrived in Bristol today for the planned strike action which took place around the country. Speaking at the rally when the march ended at College Green, national executive member for the south west Sheila Caffrey described the WhatsApp exchange as 'a horrendous slap in the face'.
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She said: “The messages that went around during Covid were that we were all hanging out at home doing nothing. Meanwhile we made new plans, new ways to educate, we delivered school meals and health education.”
NEU deputy general secretary, Niamh Sweeney said education secretary Gillian Keegan: “She must distance herself from these comments and she must do that through actions.”
Addressing the rally, Ms Sweeney said: “What better day to send a message to government to stop treating our teachers and children with disdain. It was teachers and support staff and communities, which kept schools going during Covid with many teaching from their kitchen table. Many delivered meals, walking for miles and standing in gardens to help vulnerable families, 139 teachers died during Covid and no community was left untouched.”
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“We thought the government didn’t care, but now we know,” she said. She said teachers in the UK worked the longest hours in Europe, adding that teacher retention and recruitment were major challenges.
Teachers at the rally said taking strike action was not 'just about a pay rise', but about other issues such as resources, from glue sticks to photocopying machines, as well as many teachers leaving the profession. For the teachers left behind, many said this has created a heavy workload and long hours.
Hannah Pakham, NEU south west regional secretary said: “Despite having a full month to come to the table with concrete proposals on pay, Gillian Keegan has done nothing to resolve our dispute.” She said the government’s policy was driving the current recruitment and retention issues, calling for a fully funded, above inflation pay rise.
Education secretary Gillian Keegan said: “As a government, we have made a serious offer to the leaders of the National Education Union and Royal College of Nursing: pause this week’s strikes, get round the table and talk about pay, conditions and reforms.
"It is hugely disappointing the NEU has thus far refused this serious offer and has not joined the Royal College of Nurses in calling off strikes. Instead of sitting round a table discussing pay, the NEU will once again cause disruption for children and families. Children deserve to be in school, and further strike action is simply unforgivable, especially after everything children have been through because of the pandemic.”
The NEU have said further strike days for England and Wales will take place on March 15 and 16.
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