Brent Green Party members joined the picket line at Woodfield Special School on the 18th strike day by support staff who are faced with reduced wages and the worsening of working conditions. They have been issued with fire and rehire 30 day notices - accept the worsened conditions or get sacked.
The school, along with The Village School, also in Kingsbury was academised despite the opposition of the NEU and its workers are now paying the price.
The combined schools have a pupil population of just over 500 pupils from nursery to 19 year olds - some stand alone primary schools are bigger, but despite this they are top heavy with executives of the Compass Learning Partnership that runs the schools. The Partnership even has a separate administrative office.
The Green Party opposes academisation, seeing it as a first step towards privatisation and has a policy that academies and free schools should be re-integrated into the local school system with democratic oversight via the local authority.
This morning we gave out leaflets explaining why staff are striking and Cllr Suzanne Gallagher made a short solidarity speech on behalf of the Green Party.
