Shropshire MP's call to resolve college staff strikes
College staff and representatives of teaching unions have been urged to get back to the negotiation table to resolve long-running issues which have led to strikes – for the good of pupils.
Shrewsbury MP Daniel Kawczynski said a number of parents had raised concerns about disruption at the town's sixth form college with exams looming for students.
He met with college principal Martin Ward to discuss issues surrounding staff restructuring plans at the college, which was met with a two-day strike by 62 of the college's 88 staff last month.
Although there are no official planned future strike dates, teachers belonging to the NASUWT and NUT teaching unions went on strike last month due to "serious concerns" that proposals in a staff restructuring plan would result in "excessive workloads".
The union has said the restructure includes heads of faculties were being downgraded to lower pay grades and more teachers would be asked to take on management tasks.
It also said some teachers would experience a pay cut.
Two-thirds of lessons were disrupted during last month's strike, and Mr Kawczynski said he wanted to prevent this happening again.
He said that the main people affected by it all would be the pupils and that he did not want education to be affected in the future, especially if it would impact on the exam period.
Mr Kawczynski said: "I have received a growing number of correspondence from concerned parents because of the ongoing protracted nature of the strikes.
"During the meeting I asked the principal to make sure the college and the unions redouble the efforts to help find a solution to prevent further strikes taking place.
"I would like to see them get round the table again and discuss the issues."
The college said it needed to save £110,000 from its yearly budget and that the restructuring was "a difficult decision" but governors felt it was "the best option".
In a letter to parents, Mr Ward said: "Every effort is being made to ensure that all students are being supported in the run up to, and during, this important exam time and we are communicating with students about what's available and how to access support."
He also said he would continue to meet with union representatives to work towards a resolution.
A spokesman for the NUT has previously claimed other ways could be found to help run the college within its budgetary constraints, while Ingrid Reeds, NASUWT national executive member for Shropshire, said members of her union were concerned that increased workload for teachers would affect the quality of education provided to students.
