Colchester rally for striking teachers attracted hundreds

The National Education Union held a huge demonstration at the Colchester War Memorial today, attracting hordes of sign-waving supporters.

Men, women and children of all ages turned out in force to rally behind teachers and university workers currently fighting for fairer pay and more funding.

Union bosses say members, who joined picket lines outside school and colleges across the country, have suffered a real-terms pay cut of 23 per cent since 2010.

Last year in England, teachers were paid an average of £38,982 while the average head teacher's salary in England is £74,095, and £57,117 for other senior leaders.

READ MORE: 'We just want to put food on the table' - Colchester teachers picket outside college

During the peaceful event guest speakers such as rally organiser Steve Townshend echoed the concerns around stagnating wages, but other issues were also raised.

Teacher of 33 years, Christine Fitzgerald, who works at Earls Colne Primary School, said: “I am here to support education.

“We are under-funded, under-staffed, there is a recruitment and retainment crisis and the children of our country are getting a very poor deal.

“We are also here striking for a little bit more pay because staff in our school are really struggling and we need to support everybody.

“This is not an action just for greed, it is an action for education, which is the bedrock of our society and unless we get it right we will not move on as a country.”

READ MORE: Activists unveil 'Defend The Right To Strike' banner on Colchester bridge

Georgia Townshend, meanwhile, works with special educational needs students in Colchester and is an executive member with the National Education Union.

She says she is struggling to make ends meet.

“A lot of people do not realise the money they are expecting to pay to the teachers is going to be taken out of the students’ money,” she said.

“I am currently using a foodbank because I cannot afford to live. I cannot afford to put the heating on and I cannot afford food or simple things.

“Enough is enough and I am not the only one. I don’t think many people can do this any longer. And that is not just in teaching, that is across the board.”

SENCO worker Stacey Lawrence attended the rally with her daughter Ada, 5, and reception and Year 1 teacher Laura Wilson.

Stacey said: “Our teachers work 70 hours a week and put everything in to their jobs but now they have to worry about if they can afford to put petrol in their cars.

“It is just ridiculous and the changes over the last ten years have been so dramatic - the infrastructure we need does not exist anymore.

“It is really scary when you have a little person who is struggling and you want them to be happy but you don’t have anywhere to turn.

“It then comes down to teachers having to pick up the pieces and I see people burning out left right and centre. They are doing their best but it is not sustainable.”

Dr Jane Hindley and Dr Felix Schnell, lecturers at the University of Essex, were also present at the demonstration in Colchester’s city centre.

“The conditions have deteriorated so much and it sounds trivial but nobody even has a lunch break anymore because there is no time. We are just tired,” said Dr Hindley.

Dr Schnell added: “In the seven years I have been here I have seen massive changes and if I see similar changes in the next seven years I will not retire a lecturer.”

A campaigning councillor also threw his support behind teachers on the picket line this morning, stressing: “Funding cuts damage children a hell of a lot more than a strike.”

Mark Goacher, Colchester councillor for Castle Ward, headed to Colchester Sixth Form College, in North Hill, to rally behind striking staff.

In the true spirit of activism he held up a huge cardboard sign in the direction of tooting drivers as they whizzed past the picketing education workers.

Although he said recruitment and a pay increase for the National Education Union members was incredibly important, he also raised other concerns.

He said: “You are getting a lot of teaching going on from non-specialists, so maths is being taught by people without a maths degree.

“But this is also about funding cuts which are a big issue for sixth form colleges. Since 2010 funding has gone down by between 50 and 60 per cent per student.

“This means everything is stripped down to the bone and if people retire that is how you avoid redundancies. You reduce staffing but you are lowing quality.

“So it comes down to whether people want education on the cheap and want it impacting on the children’s education.

“People will say going on strike for one day damages the children but funding cuts damage them a hell of a lot more.”