Indefinite dinner ladies' and teaching assistants' strike

Ladywood school workers on all-out strike, 19.11.18, photo by Alistair Tice (Click to enlarge)

Alistair Tice, Yorkshire Socialist Party secretary

Dinner ladies and teaching assistants at Ladywood primary school in Grimethorpe, near Barnsley, took their 29th day of strike action on 19 November. The Unison union members are again on indefinite strike against the head teacher's proposals to make redundancies and cut hours.

Unison had suspended the strike for a week to allow talks, but the head's new proposals involve even bigger cuts than before!

The strikers retain the overwhelming support of parents and the local community. This was demonstrated when Radio Sheffield interviewed parents waiting to collect their children. Everyone backed the dinner ladies.

To his credit, one Labour councillor, Malcolm Clements, has been on the picket line. But the Labour council initially backed the head and says there is nothing it can do because of the Education Reform Act which handed control of management of schools to head teachers.

But the strikers and supporters will make the councillors listen when they march and lobby the council meeting on 29 November at 9.30am at Barnsley Town Hall.

Please send messages of support to [email protected]

Donate to the Socialist Party

Finance appeal

The coronavirus crisis has laid bare the class character of society in numerous ways. It is making clear to many that it is the working class that keeps society running, not the CEOs of major corporations.

The results of austerity have been graphically demonstrated as public services strain to cope with the crisis.

The government has now ripped up its 'austerity' mantra and turned to policies that not long ago were denounced as socialist. But after the corona crisis, it will try to make the working class pay for it, by trying to claw back what has been given.

The Socialist Party's material is more vital than ever, so we can continue to report from workers who are fighting for better health and safety measures, against layoffs, for adequate staffing levels, etc.
When the health crisis subsides, we must be ready for the stormy events ahead and the need to arm workers' movements with a socialist programme - one which puts the health and needs of humanity before the profits of a few.

Inevitably, during the crisis we have not been able to sell the Socialist and raise funds in the ways we normally would.

We therefore urgently appeal to all our viewers to click here to donate to our Fighting Fund.