Lancaster and Morecambe teachers join national day of strike action in London

The London Underground, schools, hospitals, universities and government departments were all hit by large-scale disruption due to Wednesday’s strikes.

Unions including the National Education Union (NEU) organised a national march from Hyde Park to Trafalgar Square, for what was expected to be the biggest demonstration this year.

Many teachers took with them a message sent by local residents to their MPs, in a bid to get the government to enter talks with the unions.

Sam Ud-din, the NEU’s Lancaster & Morecambe district secretary, said: "We know that many MPs do support all the public sector workers, and their families, in their constituencies so we ask all of them to help resolve this dispute by putting whatever pressure they can at Westminster."

The message to MPs said: "I am writing as one of your constituents and a local parent to call for you to support our local National Education Union (NEU) members who are taking industrial action in their campaign for a fully funded, above-inflation pay rise. Teachers at my child/ren’s school do their best every day.

"This action is not just about making sure that teachers and support staff make ends meet. It is about the very future of education and the life chances of our children.

"The Government has offered teachers a pay rise of just 5 per cent, but with inflation out of control for the past year this adds up to a seven per cent pay cut for most teachers.

"During a cost of living crisis this means that many teachers and support staff are not able to make ends meet.

"Add to this a decline of more than 20 per cent in real terms pay for teachers over the past decade and it is no surprise that educators are leaving the profession in their droves.

"A teacher who started working in 2010 and made normal progress up the pay scale has lost over £64,000 in real terms.

"One in eight teachers leaves the profession after just a year– one in three within five. As a local parent I know that teacher shortages are harming education and poor pay is driving teachers away from their children’s schools.

"One in eight maths lessons is taught by a teacher not qualified in the subject.

"Furthermore, the meagre pay rise that the Government has offered is not even fully funded, so our local schools, who are already stretched for resources, will have to find these funds from their already dwindling budgets.

"The teachers who are striking today are the ones who have stayed the course. But they can stay silent no longer.

"They are striking to draw attention to the crisis in our schools – a crisis which will only get worse if nothing is done to pay teachers properly for the essential work they do.

"There is enough money in the economy to afford the pay corrections we need for teachers, nurses and other public sector staff. It’s a question of priorities – what, as a society, we value; what we think is worth the money.

"Please will you stand up for our local educators. You can see how you can support NEU members in their campaign here."