School staff say they have been 'pushed to the edge' as strike begins at SEND school
Workers claim staffing and safety concerns have not been adequately addressed
Teachers, teaching assistants and midday supervisors at The Orchard School in Oldbury are beginning strike action on Tuesday as part of an ongoing dispute over staffing and safety concerns.
Around 90 workers are expected to take part in the industrial action, which is being carried out jointly by the GMB union and teaching union NASUWT.
A rally is due to take place outside Sandwell Council House from 10:00 BST.
Rachel Fagan, a regional organiser for GMB, said support staff had been raising concerns with both the school and the local authority for a prolonged period.
"It's really got to a point now where school support staff have had enough," she said.
"They have been raising really serious concerns with the school, with the local authority, for a long period of time now and just feel like there is a complete lack of commitment to wanting to get some of these serious issues actually resolved."
Ms Fagan said workers felt the action was being taken in the interests of pupils as well as staff.
"They're not just doing it for themselves. They're doing it for the children as well that they look after," she said.
She claimed staff had concerns about classroom ratios, staffing levels and support workers being required to cover teaching duties.
"The support staff is stepping up and doing a lot of cover work and having to actually deliver and teach within the classroom," she said.
The union also says parents and carers have backed the action.
"The support that we've had from the families and the carers of the children has just really been so strong," Ms Fagan said.
She added that staff believed action was necessary because of concerns about pupil welfare.
"They never strike for themselves. They always strike for the children that they look after to make it a better environment for them," she said.
The strike is expected to continue over the next four weeks, with both unions planning several days of industrial action.
In a statement, The Orchard School and Sandwell Council said the school would be closed to pupils because of the strike action and apologised for the disruption caused to families.
They said: "The needs of our children are complex, and we want to reassure people that the safety and wellbeing of our children and staff remain our priority.
"The school and the Council have been actively investigating the issues raised and remain committed to working constructively with all parties concerned in finding solutions.
"The school and Sandwell Council will continue to meet with union representatives in order to achieve a positive outcome as quickly as possible."