Strike action at NASUWT begins today.
GMB Union has today announced that workers at one of the UK's largest teaching unions, NASUWT, will begin strike action today.
The dispute comes after attempts to reach an agreement with NASUWT management over contractual changes and working arrangements failed to reach agreement.
GMB members in NASUWT’s Greater London Regional Centre will take strike action today [Thursday 5 November] in response to their employer's continued attempts to undermine Union Recognition and collective bargaining, in order to enforce contractual changes to working arrangements without consultation and negotiation with GMB representatives.
Members have voted to take action after months of unsuccessful efforts to secure dialogue and reach a negotiated solution. Despite repeated requests from the union to discuss concerns and explore alternatives, management has failed to cooperate or engage constructively with representatives and have instead imposed the changes.
GMB members say their working arrangements have delivered benefits for both employees and the organisation, supporting productivity, wellbeing, work-life balance and service delivery. NASUWT’s refusal to listen to staff and engage in genuine consultation has left workers with no alternative but to take industrial action.
Alice Reynolds, GMB Organiser, said:
"Our members have been clear from the outset that they are open to change, but only where it is consulted and agreed with their recognised Union.
"Every day they work to ensure that the rights of NASUWT members at work are upheld; it's disappointing that union management are not offering the same to union staff.
"This dispute has seen the NASUWT as an employer refuse to consult and negotiate on contractual changes, impose those contractual changes unilaterally without agreement, and threaten to make unlawful deductions of 100% of our members’ wages for engaging in lawful action short of strike action.
"These tactics are unbecoming of any employer, and worse from a trade union employer.
"Our door is always open for negotiations but unfortunately NASUWT top brass have failed to engage constructively and has shown little willingness to listen to the concerns of the workforce.
"Instead of working with staff to find a sensible way forward, management has chosen to ignore members’ views and ignore their own policies and recognition agreement.
"Members do not wish to engage in further action, but will be escalating further unless a resolution is agreed."
