“No teacher wants to go on strike – but education is in crisis”

Ava Verrier, a primary school teacher and NASUWT Birmingham local association secretary, spoke on a panel of key workers about the impact of the Strikes (Minimum Services Levels) Bill in education.

Ava told the TUC: “The education profession is already experiencing minimum service levels. Education is in crisis; the government has yet again failed to achieve its targets for teacher recruitment, with many employers finding it increasingly difficult to recruit to the profession. 

Creating a rift between schools and parents 

Ava is also worried that the MSLs Bill will drive a wedge between schools and the families of the children they teach. 

She explained: “Teachers work in communities with some of the most vulnerable families. This MSL bill has the potential to create significant damage in the relationship between schools and parents."

Ofsted Chief Inspector Amanda Spielman herself has said that “The social contract that has long bound parents and schools together has been damaged. This unwritten agreement sees parents get their children to school every day and respect the school’s policies and approach. In return, schools give children a good education and help prepare education and help prepare them for their next steps in life. It took years to build and consolidate, from when schooling first became compulsory."

She goes on to say that this contract “has been fractured, and restoring this contract is vital to sustaining post-pandemic progress, but is likely to take years to rebuild fully” 

“Will the introduction of this MSL bill restore this social contract? It won’t, it will undo all the valuable work schools have invested and create a rift between schools and parents. 

Teachers want to continue to be valued by the parents and community we work in, but this bill will see the teachers being victimised by wider society. Solving issues with draconian laws will not solve anything.

Dividing workers 

Ava said: “The only way to get employers to listen to our concerns is to withdraw our labour – sometimes an indicative ballot is enough to bring change. 

MSLs are a tactic by government to divide the workers – instead of concentrating on the real issues at play, like pay, workload, recruitment of new teachers and retention of experienced staff. 

This legislation is the government’s way of saying “we are in charge, and we can do what we like.” It harks back to Victorian times when workers had to doff their caps to their masters. This is the 21st century, isn’t it? Why is this legislation necessary? It will not make work any more meaningful for teachers.” 

An awful Bill from an awful government” 

Ava concluded: “Put plainly, the Strikes Bill is an awful bill, from an awful, awful government with no consideration for anyone but themselves. 

The bill is unworkable, who decides which teacher has to work? Don’t forget the headteacher themselves may also be on strike. How do schools decide on what is a minimum service level? Who makes the actual decision, the LA, the CEO of a MAT or the headteacher. If it’s the headteacher this potentially puts the headteacher in a very vulnerable position. 

This bill will not resolve a dispute, if anything it will actually make it more protracted as employers will hold out for longer, but this also mean that employees will too. 

This bill is intended to pit worker against worker and union against union, be in no doubt this is the outcome this government wants and is hell bent on achieving at all cost. They are expecting the trade union movement to do their dirty work for them.”