A major teacher strike across the Midlands has been called off after the school trust involved agreed to pause its redundancy consultations, bringing an end to weeks of disruptive industrial action.
Agreement Reached to End Disruption
The National Education Union (NEU) and the Arthur Terry Learning Partnership (ATLP) announced they had reached a significant agreement, effectively ending the strike that had impacted thousands of pupils. This development means all ATLP schools will be open next week and for the foreseeable future, providing relief to parents and students alike.
Pausing Redundancies and Financial Challenges
Central to the agreement is ATLP's decision to pause all current restructuring and redundancy consultations. This move addresses a key grievance, as the consultations had reportedly placed around 100 jobs at risk. The trust has committed to making compulsory redundancies an absolute last resort in any future plans.
Both parties acknowledge the severe financial pressures facing the trust, which is grappling with a deficit approaching £10 million. To tackle this, ATLP and the NEU have agreed to attend weekly collaborative meetings. These sessions will focus on assessing the financial situation, agreeing on a recovery plan, and monitoring progress transparently.
End of Planned Industrial Action
The strike, which involved nine days of targeted action this month, is now over. Planned further strikes for February, which would have added another nine days of disruption, have been formally cancelled. The NEU stated that its members have accepted the new position put forward by the trust following constructive discussions.
In a joint statement, ATLP and the NEU emphasised their shared commitment to children attending school. They described the establishment of a constructive, transparent relationship and pledged to work closely together, actively seeking input from staff and parents in the decision-making process moving forward.
This resolution comes shortly after ATLP announced that its chief executive, Richard Gill, had taken a leave of absence from his role. The agreement marks a pivotal shift towards collaborative problem-solving after a period of significant uncertainty for the school community.
