IT was standing room only at a public meeting to discuss strike action at a York school.
About 150 people crammed into Southlands Methodist Church in South Bank in York on Thursday night (October 3) following plans by staff at nearby All Saints RC School to walk out next week.
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Staff at All Saints RC School in South Bank who are National Education Union (NEU) union members will go out on strike starting on Tuesday and Wednesday next week (October 8 and 9) over what it claims are numerous major disagreements between the school and the Middlesbrough academy chain to which it now belongs - Nicholas Postgate Catholic Academy Trust (NPCAT).
Michael Kearney, NEU secretary for city of York, said that there was overwhelming support at the meeting for All Saints staff over their planned strike.
He said among those assembled were parents, members of the public, staff and former staff from All Saints.
Mr Kearney previously said that chief among the issues which have caused the rift are what he describes as 'significant changes to academy leadership'.
These include an independent investigation into the behaviour of the CEO, Hugh Hegarty including actions at All Saints during a recent Ofsted inspection, and the appointment of a temporary executive head, Michael Burns, who has since left the post.
In a letter to parents Mr Hegarty said further strikes are planned for October 14-16 and 22-25.
"What was clear from the meeting is that there is genuine support and respect for the school and educators, and that parents and staff alike have the utmost trust in the dedicated leadership of the school. The NEU dispute is with the MAT, not the school.
"Having listened to our concerns around centralised funding, safeguarding our unique curriculum and ensuring transparency in the leadership from Middlesbrough, parents themselves shared many of their own concerns about being based in an academy chain so far removed from their local community.
"Parents were supportive of our asks as they could see that they were entirely based on ensuring the continuity of the outstanding education being provided by the dedicated staff of All Saints. Positive discussions were held about York catholic schools forming a separate stand-alone trust so that our parents and communities would continue to be at the heart of decision-making for our local schools.
"All of our asks are easy to achieve and within the power of the MAT to grant. No member of staff takes the decision to propose industrial action lightly. However, we have been discussing these concerns for months with no positive resolution in sight.
"This is the last resort of a staff whose devotion to their students means our success will only benefit the students, not themselves. We hope that the decision-makers in Middlesbrough will now listen to the concerns of York parents and staff to avoid any future industrial action."
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