TEACHERS at Newquay’s biggest school have moved towards taking strike action.
Ninety eight per cent of teachers at Newquay Tretherras have voted in favour of a formal strike ballot.
Staff at Newquay Tretherras have “lost patience” with the Cornwall Education Learning Trust (CELT), which runs the school, for “not respecting many aspects of the school teachers pay and conditions document.”
The National Education Union states it is confident the issues can be resolved before strike action is taken when the new CEO Dan Morrow is in place following Lisa Mannall’s retirement.
A spokesperson for the National Education Union said: “Teachers at CELT multi academy trust Newquay Tretherras School have voted 98 per cent in favour of a formal strike ballot.
“They are all members of the National Education Union.
“Staff have lost patience with CELT multi academy trust, which is not respecting many aspects of the school teachers pay and conditions document.
“The current CEO is leaving at Christmas and the National Education Union is confident that with the new CEO Dan Morrow in place, we will be able to resolve these issues and avoid strikes.
“The last thing that National Education Union members want to do is to be striking, but they are determined to create a safe, happy, creative and enriching environment for all the children at Newquay Tretherras.
“Perhaps a New Year’s resolution for CELT might be to listen to, respect and care for the pupils and teachers in the multi academy trust?”
Branch secretary Ian Williams added: “Our members have tried for months to resolve these issues, but the multi academy trust has not been listening.
“The school teachers pay and conditions document is approved by Parliament annually.
“There is a huge recruitment and retention crisis in education and yet this multi academy trust is driving teachers away from the jobs they love.
“Our members are not prepared to accept this anymore. The resolution is simple: adopt fair policies and procedures. Our reps and officers remain willing to negotiate at all times.”