Strike planned at UK school over treatment of Jamaican teachers
LONDON, United Kingdom — Employees at a London-based academy are preparing to strike over the reported targeting of Jamaican teachers, alleging overwork, underpayment and other issues, according to media reports.
A report from United Kingdom (UK) media house, The Standard, said the National Education Union (NEU) had confirmed the industrial action against Harris Beckenham to be taken on Tuesday.
The school is overseen by the Harris Federation, the UK’s second largest academy chain, which the report says has previously been embroiled in a scandal regarding their treatment of Jamaican teachers, including payment of wages which they had promised to address in March.
Leaders at the NEU say some Jamaican teachers are owed up to 10,000 pounds sterling in unpaid wages.
The Standard cited fresh complaints from teachers which included being “severely overworked to the point of exhaustion”, being bullied, facing unnecessary scrutiny and being repeatedly asked to cover the shifts of colleagues.
The NEU calculations found that teachers at the school are working over 95 hours beyond the recommended limit per year with up to 80 per cent thinking of leaving.
the federation, however, has denied the allegations.
“We wholly refute any allegations of racism. We are extremely proud of our excellent cadre of Jamaican teachers whom we train, develop and promote within our schools. Their pay and conditions are exactly the same as others in the same position,” a spokesperson for the Harris Federation said.
But Izzy Hickmett, the Bromley NEU branch secretary, said: “We are seeing teachers who are severely overworked to the point they are experiencing stress and exhaustion. They are facing bullying from management who target overseas-trained teachers from Jamaica who are vulnerable due to their visa status.”
The academy blamed recent new benefits, campaigned for by the NEU, for ongoing restructuring and accused the union of looking to disrupt the “very strong working relationship we have with our loyal, dedicated and hard-working staff”.
School is to remain open amid the strike.
