NEU members at Flint High School will be taking strike action on Wednesday 10 September following concerns from staff due the employer’s failure to deal with bullying behaviour from the Headteacher and the inability of the school's leadership to tackle high levels of behavioural issues.
Whilst there have been discussions between the school and the NEU, over the past two years, there has been limited progress in the implementation of any effective strategies to address the concerns of NEU members. Members feel that the health, safety and wellbeing of the staff and pupils continue to be compromised.
Nicola Fitzpatrick , Wales Secretary for the National Education Union Cymru, said:
” Our members in Flint High School feel they have no choice but to take industrial action. No one takes the decision to go out on strike lightly, but by choosing to strike, our members are sending a clear message to the school that they will not tolerate threats to their own or the pupils’ health, safety and wellbeing, and that they deserve dignity in the workplace.
“The employer is failing to deal with the workplace bullying and the pupil behaviour and this is having a detrimental effect on learning.
“Over a period of nearly two years members have stood together and are demonstrating a level of collective solidarity which should inspire all workers to demand dignity in their workplace. Members striking today do so with the full backing of the wider union, the largest education trade union in Europe.
“Teachers cannot teach, and pupils cannot learn in an environment where there is this level of disruption, and our members will continue to take action until these issues have been dealt with appropriately.”
Cheryl Latham, NEU Flintshire Branch Secretary, added:
“We were horrified by the bullying behaviour which members told us about when we first met with them. We advised members that they had to stand up for themselves, and they have done so with remarkable courage.
“I know that the wider NEU membership will back them in their pursuit of workplace justice”.