'We're not going away' - Teachers resolved to continue strike action

Teachers who are members of the National Education Union (NEU) have walked out, causing widespread disruption as their pay and working conditions dispute continues with the government.

NEU members from Durham also made the trip to Penrith alongside Cumbrian teachers (Image: Isaac Cooper)The government had made an offer of a £1,000 one-off payment for the current school year and a 4.5 per cent rise for most teachers next year - but this was rejected by an ‘overwhelming’ 98 per cent of NEU teacher members in England on a turnout of 66 per cent.

Teachers from across Cumbria and County Durham gathered in Penrith town centre and marched up the high street to listen to speeches from local teachers and union reps.

Amongst those who spoke at the rally included joint Cumbria district secretary of the NEU, Andy Brewerton, local NEU member Nicola Hawkins and NEU national president Louise Atkinson.

“This strike isn’t primarily about teachers’ pay,” said Mr Brewerton, from Barrow.

Andy Brewerton speaking to the assembled crowd (Image: Isaac Cooper)“It’s about recruitment and retention of teachers. It’s about workload and working conditions and it’s about proper funding of our schools and we’re at a tipping point.

“We’ve tried to tell the government where things are going wrong, but they’ve consistently ignored us.

“They presented us with a derisory pay offer and just over 190,000 members rejected this offer.

“We need a fully funded education system and not one which robs Peter to pay Paul.”

Teachers are set to also walk out on Tuesday, May 2 in the next day of strike action and have warned of more to come throughout the spring if the government don’t come to the negotiating table.

Striking teachers and supporters were at the rally (Image: Isaac Cooper)NEU national president and Carlisle primary school teacher, Louise Atkinson spoke to the assembled crowd which numbered around 100 and said: “These past few months have been difficult, and no educator wants to withdraw their labour.

READ MORE: Thinking Beyond Ofsted to help national teacher shortage

“We want to be in front of classrooms delivering the education that those children and young people deserve but we’ve been left with absolutely no choice at all.

“This government has got no understanding of how serious the situation is in education – we are running out of teachers.

“Teachers and support staff are leaving the jobs they love because of low pay and high work loads which is a toxic combination.

“We are here to say to Gillian Keegan she has to pay up to save our schools. We’re not going away, we’re getting stronger and we’re only going to get louder.