6 days Ago
A meeting has been arranged between striking teachers and the school's management. Staff at St Matthew's CE Primary in Halliwell have been on strike for three days this week, having voted last month to walk out in response to issues surrounding performance-related pay and management . National Education Union (NEU) members voted unanimously to picket.
Yesterday was the third consecutive day of the strike. It was announced this week there will be two further strike days on April 30 and May 1, allowing a week after Easter for the council and Chair of Governors at the school to meet with striking staff. Teachers discussing outside the school (Image: Newsquest) Now it has been announced a meeting has been set for April 24.
Roz Morton, a regional officer at the NEU who has been supporting the striking staff, said: "We have had some positive progress in that the Chair of Governors has named a date to meet with staff. Read more: Further strike dates announced as Bolton teachers continue their walkout Read more: 'This is a last resort' teachers start their 3 day walkout "The members are now preparing for that meeting. In itself the meeting does not resolve the dispute, it will need to present to the members exactly what is going to change.
"It will only be after that meeting that they will be in a position to discuss whether to postpone any further days of action . We still also have one outstanding pay issue on pay and we are awaiting an offer to resolve that issue. "The pay issue is linked to the wider management culture at the school because individuals were not given clear information about their salaries.
This led to several members raising complaints about salaries." She added: "Most of those were resolved, but one is outstanding. As far as members are concerned, an injury to one is an injury to all and they are prepared to maintain action until that issues is solved for that individual.
" Roz added that a couple of councillors, Robert Morrisey and Safwaan Patel, came down and spoke to members. She said: "They made assurances that they would raise the issues the members were talking about with the relevant personnel.".
