Aylesbury teachers head to London for biggest day of walkouts in recent years

Teachers and teaching assistants working in Aylesbury were among the tens of thousands of workers picketing in London yesterday (15 March).

Across the UK over 400,000 workers pledged to strike demanding better working conditions.

An estimated 50,000 of them joined a protest march in London including teachers and teaching assistants from Stocklake Park and Booker Park in Aylesbury.

National Education Union reported that over 200,000 teachers were expected to take the day off in protest. More than 100,000 Government workers in the PCS union walked out.

Another 70,000 university workers struck, and around 70,000 junior doctors participated.

Previously The Bucks Herald has heard from teachers in Buckinghamshire who are striking for better pay conditions and to demand an end to cuts affecting their ability to teach.

Dozens of teachers joined picket lines in Buckingham, and Aylesbury on previous strike dates to pressure the Government into providing a pay rise which matches the extreme rise in inflation last year.

Today (16 March) is the final day of strike action currently organised by the NEU. Education secretary, Gillian Keegan, said the Government would not negotiate new terms until no further strike dates were planned.

At previous events in Bucks motorists could be seen honking in support of those on strike.

But not everyone supports the strike action, one councillor contacted the Bucks Herald relaying concerns over how children's education is being disrupted in the run up to important examinations. She said: “This brings the total to four striking days in the run up to GCSEs and A levels. This cohort, who some have dubbed the ‘lost generation’, also lost out to covid. Some on the borderline will fail GCSEs as a result of four days lost teaching at a crucial time combined with teaching time lost due to covid.

“Striking teachers will literally be responsible for wrecking some children's’ futures. You have blood on your hands teaching unions.”

Recently Arriva staff, working on buses, secured a better deal through strike action in the Home Counties. Initially, the German transport company offered drivers and other service staff, a deal union’s considered a ‘real terms pay cut’.