Bolton teachers in the town go on strike in dispute

Members of the National Education Union (NEU), the largest education union in the UK, are striking across the country today and later this week on Friday, June 7.

This comes after the NEU first balloted to strike in January this year, with multiple strikes having taken place since that initial vote.

Now, as well as the NEU, the NASUWT teaching union, the NAHT school leaders’ union and the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) are all balloting their members in England to take action in the new school year.

Today, teachers at schools in Bolton have been part of the strikes, picketing across the borough, including at Westhoughton High School and Turton High School.

Teachers at the school in April (Image: Newsquest)

Sharples School was another of the schools where teachers were on strike.

Teacher and NEU rep at the school, Robert Poole, said: "We have had a good few people waving." 

He confirmed that no pupils at the school would be attending today, although Year Six pupils were arriving for a handover day. He added that one year group will be in on Friday.

And there was a similar situation at schools across the Bolton, with many closed or partially shut.

Robert continued: "We are seeing schools across Bolton having to make cuts because funding isn't being put in place. 

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This is the picket line at Sharples School in Bolton as National Education Union members go on strike for better pay and conditions

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"We are not striking against the schools, we're striking against the Government because we do not have the funding to do the job."

Teachers at the picket welcomed the idea of a coordinated strike between the major teaching unions, remarking that it would be the first time that had ever happened.

Robert said: "It just shows how serious the situation is getting for schools. We would welcome the other unions onto the picket lines with us." 

"All the unions are balloting again for a new mandate again in September. 

Turton School (Image: Public)

"As long as it takes, we will still be here."

Owain Jenkins, head of RE at Sharples School, said: "Teachers are striking for six days in a year and the Secretary of Education still hasn't even sat down to discuss. 

"It is that willingness to even talk about it."

It is the seventh day individual schools in England have faced walkouts by NEU members since February.

Union leaders have warned that schools could face co-ordinated strike action by education unions in the autumn term if a deal over pay cannot be reached.

On Friday, teachers in Bolton will join a mass rally in Manchester to send out a strong message to the Government.