Teachers across a major Midlands academy trust are preparing for nine days of strike action in the new year, in a major dispute over plans to make more than 100 staff redundant.
Massive Mandate for Industrial Action
The National Education Union (NEU) has announced that its members within the Arthur Terry Learning Partnership (ATLP) will walk out on nine separate days in January 2026. The planned strike dates are the 14th, 15th, 20th, 21st, 22nd, 26th, 27th, 28th and 29th of January.
The decision follows an overwhelming ballot result, where 99% of voting members backed strike action, with a significant turnout of 84%. The NEU has 768 members across the trust, which operates 24 schools across Birmingham, Coventry, Staffordshire and Warwickshire.
Dispute Centres on 'Large-Scale' Redundancies
The industrial action is a direct response to proposals by the ATLP trust to shed more than 100 jobs. The union has linked the need for cuts to what it describes as 'financial mistakes at the Trust'.
Chris Denson, a National Executive Member for the NEU, stated that members are "really concerned for the students that they teach." He argued that any necessary savings should come from the trust's central office budget rather than frontline staff.
"Any cuts should come from the massive central office spend, not from teachers and support staff who do so much for the children," Denson said. "Cutting pupil facing roles will always damage education."
Warnings Over Impact on Education
The union has issued stark warnings about the potential consequences of such significant staff reductions. They fear the cuts will lead to:
- Larger class sizes across the trust's schools.
- Increased workload for remaining staff.
- Reduced support for children, particularly those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).
The ATLP runs several schools in Birmingham, including Arthur Terry School, Stockland Green School, Fortis Academy, and a number of primary schools such as Mere Green Primary and Slade Primary. It is not yet clear how many of these schools will be affected by the strikes.
On strike days, picket lines are expected to be in place from approximately 7am to 9.15am. The ATLP has been contacted for a statement regarding the planned industrial action.
