Star date: 26th March 2014

AROUND 1,000 TEACHERS TAKE TO STREETS AS STRIKE BITES

"I'm doing casework with members who are working 60-65 hours a week" Judith Elderkin Salford NUT

Around one thousand teachers, including many from Salford, marched through Manchester city centre today in support of the National Union of Teachers strike against ConDem Government belligerency.

Lots of Salford schools were shut or partially shut as teachers went on strike against excessive workloads, performance related pay and unfair pension changes which could see teachers working until they are 68.

Full details here…

Around one thousand teachers from all over Greater Manchester marched from Cathedral Gardens and through city centre Manchester today in support of the National Union of Teachers national strike.

"In Salford, several schools are closed, many are partially closed where groups of students have been excluded because their teachers are taking action and a few are unaffected" said Judith Elderkin, from Salford NUT "I would say it is a success, and it's a great turnout from within Greater Manchester."

This the fourth day of action by teachers, as NUT research shows revealed that the average primary teacher is now working nearly 60 hours per week, secondary heads 63 hours and the average secondary teacher nearly 56 hours a week. This, at the same time that Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Education, is seeking to introduce performance related pay for teachers and introducing pension changes that could see teachers working until they are 68.

"I'm doing casework with members who are working 60-65 hours a week and have no work-life balance" explained Judith Elderkin "And you don't get the best out of teachers by beating them over the head I'm afraid. The regret is that within five years almost half the young teachers who join the profession have left because of intolerable working conditions, low pay and a very heavy workload.

"Today we are again demonstrating our anger at the Government and their refusal to negotiate on issues that are severely affecting the teaching profession" she added "It's sad that we're not joined by NASUWT [the other teaching trade union] who perhaps think that taking action isn't the right way. But quite frankly we have wrung concessions so far out of the Government, and you don't wring any more by not doing anything."

After the march teachers attended a packed rally at New Century Hall.