Agency staff have been sent to cover for striking union members at a Harold Hill school as it makes use of new legislation allowing for temps to plug gaps left by strikes.
Drapers’ Pyrgo Priory School, where National Education Union (NEU) members have been striking for several months in a dispute over a restructure, has allegedly received staff from two agencies, Athona Education and Supply Desk.
This is after two others, Pertemps and Simply Education, were reported by The Guardian to have rolled back initial agreements with Drapers' and refused to send temp workers to the school.
Legislation was passed earlier this year allowing businesses to legally hire agency staff during strikes, in a move widely decried by unions.
John Delaney, Havering's NEU district and branch secretary, said: “'The Drapers’ Multi-academy Trust (MAT) has withdrawn the offer of a £1,000 buy-out for those support staff earning more than £10,000 a year.
“They say they cannot afford the roughly £5,000 it would cost. But they can afford the extra cost of hiring strike-breaking agency staff.”
Instead of turning to temp workers, Mr Delaney said: “Drapers’ MAT needs to concentrate on resolving the dispute.”
Bushra Nasir, chief executive of Drapers’ MAT, said the strikes have had “a detrimental impact on our children's education and placed undue stress on their families”.
She added the decision to hire agency staff was taken “reluctantly”, and to "ensure that all pupils could attend school during any further disruption".
“It was not politically motivated or done to undermine the strike, but purely in the best interest of our children and their families.
“We are upset that the strike continues to have a negative effect on our school community and will continue to put our children's education first.”
NEU members at the school have been striking following a restructure the union claims cuts hours and wages.
Ms Nasir said it has not only “enabled the school to make some savings, but more importantly it provides excellent support for all pupils”.
By the time the current round of strikes ends, on October 20, it will have impacted 31 school days in five months.
Athona Education and Supply Desk were approached for comment.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here