Teachers and school support staff are walking out over pay today, forcing scores of schools to close their doors to pupils. Today’s industrial action is the first of four strike days which will hit the city and county this month and next.

Teachers are demanding the Government offers up an above inflation pay rise, paid for by Westminster and not out of school budgets. The National Education Union (NEU) said school staff have seen a real terms pay cut of 23 per cent over the last 13 years when inflation is factored in, and the cost-of-living crisis has made the profession unsustainable for many.

The current offer of five per cent is expected to come from schools’ budgets and would likely lead to cuts to staffing and bigger classes, the NEU added. Class sizes are already at a 20 year high as more and more qualified teachers are leaving the profession due to lower pay and ever-increasing workload.

READ MORE: More Leicester schools to close fully or partially due to strikes

Nick Raine, senior regional officer for the NEU in the East Midlands, said: “Our members are taking a stand today for a fully funded, above-inflation pay rise, because the profession cannot go on like this. Parents know the consequences of persistent underfunding, both for their school or college and for their child.

“This strike should not be necessary, and we regret the disruption caused to parents and pupils. But our aims are in the interests of everyone in the education community.”

“Given the current cost-of-living crisis and rising inflation, this is clearly an unsustainable situation for our members,” he added. “The Government appears to have nothing to say to them.”

School staff will be out on picket lines between 7.30am and 9am. A list of all the schools that have declared they will be shutting either fully or partially can be found here.

A rally is also set to be held in Leicester City Centre at 10am today. It will start at Jubilee Square and make its way through to Athena.

Local residents have also voiced their support for those walking out today. Neetus Issac, 37, has a nine year-old son.

Neetus Issac, 37, supports the teachers strikes
Neetus Issac, 37, supports the teachers strikes

“I won’t be sending him to school,” she told LeicestershireLive. “They are saying that the food options are reduced to one thing and the it will not be the regular day’s education, it’s activities.

“For me personally, I am a nurse,” she added. “It’s their right to strike for better pay and they deserve it. We should be giving them something.

“So I’m absolutely for the strikes. Even if I’m suffering a little bit with my kid, I’m with them. I know it’s been difficult for some time.”

Retired teacher Tom McSorley, 71, also said he was behind those walking out: “I support the strikes because I think everything is underfunded in the public sector. I’ve got grandkids in schools and obviously parents will be inconvenienced, but strikes are meant to inconvenience people. So, I do support the strikes.”

However, the Department for Education has criticised the action as “highly damaging to children’s education”, particularly given the disruption of the pandemic.

NEU members across England voted overwhelmingly to strike when balloted by the union. Some 121,253 teaching members voted yes, while 12,811 were against the action. Support staff in schools and sixth form colleges also came out strongly in support of the action – 15,593 yes to 2,944 no.

Local teachers and school staff will also be striking on Wednesday, March 1, and for two consecutive days on Wednesday and Thursday, March 15 and 16.

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