Teachers at an academy trust-run school in London have won their dispute, showing how determined union action is the way forward, reports Pete Webster

NEU members at the Village School in Brent were celebrating Thursday after management caved in to all their demands after three days of solid strike action with the threat of a further three days next week. The school caters for over 350 pupils with a broad range of physical and mental-health issues requiring high levels of skills and commitment from teachers and special support staff.

The dispute was triggered when the bosses of the academy trust arbitrarily ripped up a raft of previously agreed policies including drastic restrictions on the amount of paid time off to attend antenatal and other medical appointments. Following a solid ballot for industrial action by around 100 members, the union actually recruited a further twenty during the course of the dispute.

This is an important victory as it shows that by responding to attacks on existing terms and conditions with determination is the key to winning these disputes. As Jenny Cooper of the NEU and lead negotiator said, ‘When all else fails, don’t despair: STRIKES WORK!’

The original leave-of-absence policy has been restored and staff will be reimbursed for lost earnings through the operation of the rogue policy. They also achieved a written agreement with the Trust that policies can only be changed by going through a six-stage process which now requires mutual agreement first between the Trust and union reps at a joint consultative committee before any changes can come into effect. The agreement included a pledge to honour union recognition and to include this on the Trust’s website and an apology to members who were victims of the unilateral changes.

During the course of the dispute, the picket line was supported by a raft of local trade unionists and community supporters with continuous honking of horns as cars, buses and other drivers signalled their support for the strikers. This battle has been won but it will only be a matter of time before management, here and elsewhere, will return to the offensive to drive down costs. 

The key now is to ensure all these measures are implemented and to maintain the school’s union organisation. It will also provide a template for action and a brilliant example of grassroots union organisation to other groups of workers who are also facing detrimental action from employers.