Strike action resumes at a Birmingham school as council ‘very disappointed’ with NEU

Strike action at a Birmingham school resumed this week as a union urged Birmingham City Council to ‘take their concerns seriously’.

Members of the National Education Union (NEU) previously took industrial action at Benson Community School in Hockley and protested with signs outside the school on a number of days in December and January.

The union said at the time the strikes were held in response to alleged “unacceptable” management practices. The NEU later confirmed its members had agreed to “suspend planning strike action” at the school following positive talks at conciliation service ACAS towards the end of January.

However this week, Birmingham NEU general secretary David Room confirmed that strikes were under way at the school again, with one taking place on Wednesday, April 17 and another on Friday, April 19.

“Our members voted to suspend planned strike action in January on the basis that an agreement had been reached with the Chair of Governors and Council which would end the unacceptable management practices at Benson Community Primary School,” he said.

“Unfortunately, members have reported to the union that these unacceptable practices, including what they describe as bullying behaviour, have continued. “Members feel they have no alternative but to take more strike action in the hope that someone at the school and council will finally take their concerns seriously and implement the necessary action to resolve the issue once and for all.”

A spokesperson for Birmingham City Council said the local authority was “very disappointed” that the NEU had launched further strike action. “Many things have changed since the dispute was first declared,” they continued. “For example, a new Interim Executive Board now leads Benson Community School.

“ACAS have helped the school to establish a dispute resolution plan that was agreed with the NEU and is fully supported by council officers. Work on the agreed resolution actions is progressing well, with school staff being directly involved.”

They added: “This latest strike action came without warning that the NEU had become dissatisfied with the joint progress so far. School leaders are undertaking the agreed resolution actions and remain committed to working with the NEU to fully address their members’ concerns.”

They added that urgent meetings are being scheduled with senior NEU representatives so that school leaders and council officers can understand why the union has taken this latest action. The council previously said last year that it takes all concerns raised regarding alleged bullying with the utmost seriousness.