England鈥檚 largest academy trust has vowed not to issue work orders to striking staff if 鈥渋nflammatory鈥 and 鈥渟elf-defeating鈥 new strike laws are implemented in schools. United Learning, which runs 89 schools and employs over 7,000 staff in the state sector, said leaders recognised enacting minimum service levels would 鈥渄amage industrial relations and harm their image as an employer throughout the sector鈥. This would make it 鈥渋mpossible to retain the goodwill and discretionary effort of staff; harder to retain staff; and the reputational impact would make it harder to attract new staff鈥. 鈥淚n the end, this would have a more negative impact on children and parents than the strikes themselves.鈥 The trust has published its to the government鈥檚 consultation, which proposed laws allowing schools to keep staff in work to educate certain groups of pupils during industrial action. ‘Self-defeating’ It said the proposal was 鈥渨rong in principle and in its details and likely to be self- defeating in practice鈥. Employers would not be required to issue work orders, and United Learning said it was 鈥渋nconceivable that any employer will in fact choose to do so鈥. The trust pointed to a the government issued when the legislation was being enacted for the transport sector. In it, government admitted the 鈥渓arge number of employers in the education sector would also likely make minimum service arrangements difficult and very burdensome to implement鈥. United Learning warned the 鈥渋mpression is of a concept designed for rail strikes being clumsily retrofitted to schools鈥. Unions have already savaged the plans for MSLs, with ASCL warning they would put leaders in the 鈥渋mpossible position鈥 of being expected to enact legislation that will cause 鈥渋rreparable harm鈥. The Confederation of School Trusts has also warned its members fear MSLs will 鈥渦ndermine鈥 rights to freedom of association, 鈥減articularly for special school and primary staff鈥 and have a 鈥渟evere and deleterious impact on good industrial relations鈥. It follows more than 10 days of strike action in schools last year in a dispute over teacher pay and working conditions. ‘Can’t be coherently applied to schools’ Leaders vow to shun minimum service levels for schools United Learning said that, 鈥渙n the whole鈥, employers 鈥渄eplore strikes and think they are harmful to children and to a key public service as well as inconvenient to parents鈥. But the trust said its own 鈥渟trong opposition to anything that disrupts children鈥檚 education is, however, an inadequate basis for denying others the right to withdraw their labour鈥. They added that the concept of a minimum service level was 鈥渘ot one that can coherently be applied to schools鈥. 鈥淭here is no 鈥榣evel鈥 of service, less than normal provision, which must unarguably be maintained at all times, as there is for some other public services.鈥 The trust added that categorisations used during Covid were not 鈥渁ppropriate鈥 for industrial action. Using vulnerable pupils as a definition for a minimum service also 鈥渞isks beginning to imply that the education of some pupils is more essential than others. This is a harmful view鈥.
Rubina Darr 9 February 2024 In a democratic society it is a basic fundamental right to strike, if the listening is not there. What other powerful tool do humans have other than to withdraw labour? We are then at the mercy of employers exerting power, just like the Post Office scandal, where ordinary people were not believed! This does not tie in with the basic human values of respect for all. The doctors are still trying to make their voice heard. They are together. We must stop pitting people against each other. So what else do employees have left if no one is listening? The full facts and transparency are vital if the next generation are to have a strong moral compass. Look after those who need to be looked after. School leaders do this unconditionally day in and day out.