NEU teachers union holds rally in Birmingham’s Centenary Square with other trade union member joining

Around 400 Birmingham schools are expected to be closed or partially closed to as members of the teachers’ union - National Education Union (NEU) - go on strike. Apart from picket lines at the schools, a big rally will take place at Centenary Square in Birmingham City Centre.

The union, which had voted to strike today (February 1), March 1 March 15 and March 16, will be hosting a rally from 12pm to 1.30pm today. The speakers include NEU Joint General Secretary Kevin Courtney, PCS National President Fran Heathcote, UCU National President-elect Justine Mercer, Midlands TUC regional secretary Lee Barron, teachers, parents, workers, and more.

Apart from NEU members, The University and College Union (UCU) members, and Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union members will also be joining in. The Trades Union Congress (TUC) supports the industrial action.

NEU Joint Deputy General Secretary of Birmingham District, Shirley Perry, said the Birmingham chapter of the NEU had 5,000 members until last month and 1,000 more have recently joined.

She added that the NEU have an agreement with other education unions that their members wll not cover the shifts of those on strike. Shirley added: “Most head teachers are supportive as well.”

To those on the picket lines today, she said: “Thank you very much for what you are doing. This is not about pay, this is about funding education. Teachers don’t want to take strike action, they want to be teaching in classrooms. But, enough is enough.”

The union has said that they are facing a real terms pay cut because of the inflation and are seeking hikes more than 5%. Around half a million workers are expected to walk out today as train drivers and civil servants join teachers and university lecturers in taking strike action.

It’s the biggest walkout in a decade. Picket lines are popping up outside train statrins, schools government departments, univerisities - in addition to protests against the Government’s controversial plans for a new law on “minimum service levels” during all strikes., including the demonstration in Centenary Square.

Full list of UK strikes this week

• Teachers in England and Wales who are members of the National Education Union (NEU) will begin the first of seven days of strikes on Wednesday, February 1.

• ASLEF union train drivers and RMT union train drivers at 14 rail operators will strike on Wednesday, February 1 and Friday, February 3.

• University lecturers and security guards will strike on Wednesday, February 1.

• 100,000 civil servants belonging to the PCS union will walk out on Wednesday, February 1 - affecting Government departments, driving test centres, museums, ports and airports. Director-general of Border Force, Paul Douglas, said there would be queues at airports on Wednesday due to strike action by workers manning passport booths.

• Scottish teachers who are members of EIS and AHDS will continue their ongoing strike on Wednesday, February 1, Thursday, February 2 and Friday, February 3.