Oulton Academy: Staff at Leeds school set to walk out in strike over contract dispute

Members of the National Education Union at Oulton Academy, located on Pennington Lane, Leeds, are set to hold a picket line outside the school from 6.30am tomorrow (Friday, June 28).

It follows a meeting between Leeds NEU and Carlton Academy Trust, in which the union claims CEO Adrian Kneeshaw refused to agree to incorporate all National Terms and Conditions into new and future contracts for staff at the academy.

This means that staff would not be on the same terms and conditions as other teachers and support staff in state schools across Leeds.

Terry Bambrook, Assistant Secretary at Leeds NEU, said: “We are not asking for anything additional, only to have the same rights and terms and conditions as other teachers and support staff nationally.

“This action is not taken lightly, and staff want to be at work doing what they do best. Our working conditions are our children’s learning conditions.”

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The union explained that current members at Oulton were promoted, or they go part time and they move to a new contract then they would move to a “detrimental contract” with poor terms and conditions.

A planned six days of strike action is set to commence from tomorrow and Daniel Kebede, NEU General Secretary, will be supporting the striking staff on the picket line from 7.30am - 8.30am.

Oulton Academy and Carlton Academy Trust have been approached for comment.