Boarding school teachers strike over pay and rent
NEUTeachers at a Surrey state boarding school are on strike in a dispute over proposed redundancies, pay allowances and staff accommodation.
National Education Union (NEU) members walked out at the Royal Alexandra and Albert School in Reigate on Tuesday, with five further strikes are planned later this month and in May.
The action is over plans for up to 12 job losses, the removal of pensionable allowances, charging market rents to resident staff and the school's refusal to recognise the union, the NEU said.
Morgan Thomas, the school's executive head teacher, said it was "working constructively to minimise any disruption", adding its priority was the safety, wellbeing and education of students.
He said: "As part of our ongoing staff consultation process relating to our strategic improvement plans, we have been informed that the union has confirmed strike action on Tuesday 21 April.
"These plans, under the working title, 'Project Gatton' look at the future of our state boarding school, from resourcing to changes to terms and conditions. As we are still in a consultation process, no final decisions have been made."
The NEU said that the school was "partially closed" by the action.
Nick Childs, a senior industrial officer at the union, said that the changes would damage education standards.
"We are calling on the school to make a commitment to our hardworking members that there will no compulsory job losses, withdrawal of proposed changes to allowances and staff rents and for the governing body to afford staff the basic employment right of trade union recognition," he said.
Picket lines are being held outside the school each strike day between 07:30 BST and 09:30, the union said.
The NEU added that 90% of its members who voted backed strike action on a turnout of 89%.
The Royal Alexandra and Albert School is one of 32 state boarding schools in England and was founded through the amalgamation of two schools established in 1758 and 1864.
The union said it believed it was the first time the school had faced employer-based strike action in its history.
Surrey County Council said that staff were employed by its governing body and the proposals were not from the council.
It added: "We are aware that the school is working constructively with all stakeholders to minimise any disruption, and are confident that the school is doing everything they can in this situation to safeguard the safety, wellbeing and education of its pupils.
"We will continue to support them in doing so during this situation."
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