Teachers at Crofton Hammond Junior School in Stubbington to go on strike

As reported, members of the National Education Union (NEU) at Crofton Hammond Junior School in Stubbington were being balloted again for strike action despite a vote not meeting the threshold for industrial action.

READ NOW: Church rapist guilty

The dispute concerns allegations of excessive workloads, unagreed working practices, and ‘bullying and victimisation’ of the union rep. The school’s headteacher Ali Russell is currently away from the role due to ‘personal circumstances’ with Denis Foster put in as acting headteacher.

A ballot for strike action closed on Friday with a turnout of 92 per cent and a yes vote of 69 per cent – with the NEU now serving notice of strike action to take place on March 30, April 19-20 and May 2-4.

NEU Joint Hampshire Branch Secretary, Sue Kent, said: ‘I have been supporting our members for some time to resolve these issues with the management of the school. Our members have been working in a toxic environment, felt unsafe at work, and that management were not listening to their concerns. This is completely unacceptable.

‘After raising the issues, our members did not feel adequately supported by their employer to feel safe at work. Therefore, reluctantly, they felt they had no choice but to be balloted for strike action to ensure their concerns are taken seriously. An internal process has been dragging on for several months which has created a great deal of uncertainty for our members.

‘We now want Hampshire County Council to get round the table, take our members’ concerns seriously, and engage with our reps and members in school to resolve this dispute to prevent strike action becoming necessary.’

A teacher representing NEU members at the school said: ‘We came into teaching because we felt passionately about the importance and the lifelong benefits of a good primary education. We would like to be able to come into work and do our very best for our classes and the whole school community.

‘However, for too long now we have felt sick, scared, and anxious almost every day and many of us have had to seek medical support. We would like our employer to work with us to speedily resolve this issue.’