Homewood School staff plan more strikes against compulsory redundancies
Educators at largest Kent school are protesting job cuts and restructuring
Educators at Homewood School and Sixth Form in Kent are staging further strikes in response to proposed compulsory redundancies and changes affecting pay and working hours.
The National Education Union (NEU) members have scheduled additional strike action for the 20th, 21st, and 23rd of July, following previous strikes in June and July.
The protests arise from concerns over a significant restructuring at the Tenterden Schools Trust, which involves layoffs of teaching and support staff.
The school, located on Ashford Rd, Tenterden, is the largest in Kent and among the top ten largest in the UK, marking its first experience with employer-based strike action.
Nick Childs, Senior Industrial Officer of the NEU, said:
“The trust has been beset by financial and senior management issues for a long time. It is our members and the students who are now being made to pay the price for years of poor management. This situation highlights the lack of scrutiny baked into the privatised academy system”
“We are particularly disappointed that the Trust has failed to negotiate over the situation. Members feel like the employer is trying to run down the clock until the end of term and weather further strikes. If this is correct, it would be extremely concerning given the impact of strikes on the school”
“We are calling on the school to make a commitment to our hard-working members that there will be no compulsory job losses, reduction in working hours, and pay”
“The jobs cuts will be damaging to the provision of the excellent standard of education and pastoral care that is offered at Homewood School and Sixth Form Centre.”
Educators will form picket lines at the school's main entrance from 7:30am to 9:30am on the strike days. The industrial action aims to draw attention to the critical situation and advocate for resolutions that prioritise job security and the quality of education at Homewood School and Sixth Form.
The Trust were asked for comment, but declined to speak to us.