Teachers at Glodwick School declare strike action

Teachers at Glodwick Infant and Nursery School began strike action yesterday after continuous issues with health and safety and mistreatment of staff.

For years, teachers at the Glodwick Road school have endured a lack of action from the leadership over health and safety risks onsite and further strike days are planned on June 3, 4, 5 and 10, 11 and 12. 

The NASUWT – The Teachers’s Union said it was becoming increasingly difficult for teachers to report and mitigate these risks as leadership did not respond in an appropriate manner.

Two months ago, the staff took the difficult decision to escalate their concerns to Oldham Council. 

Last week, it seemed that progress had finally been made, with Oldham Council promising to put measures in place to mitigate risks and protect teachers.  

But the authority has since gone back on the deal, with teachers saying they have been left vulnerable to persistent intimidation and bullying from senior leaders. The union said staff had no choice but to take industrial action. 
  
Matt Wrack, Acting General Secretary for NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union, said: “Adherence to health and safety protocols is a basic requirement in any school, and the support of leadership is essential.  

“Teachers at Glodwick are doing their best to make school safe for their pupils but they are hitting one brick wall after another in this complex dispute. 
  
“If Oldham Local Authority want to solve the problems at Glodwick, they will need to show a much stronger hand in dealing with the issues there. We are asking them to step in urgently and put appropriate leadership in place. Teachers will not be able to keep themselves or their pupils safe until this is done.” 

Jac Casson and Rachel Knight, National Executive Members for District 4, added: “Glodwick teachers have raised valid concerns about the safety of the school site. These issues should be dealt with in a professional and respectful manner, but teachers are instead being victimised by leadership. 

“We take the safety of teachers extremely seriously. The local authority has a duty of care to these teachers and must make sure they are protected and empowered to get back into the classroom.”