Thousands of teachers across the country are striking this week against a dispute over pay and working conditions.

Teachers from Glossopdale School created a picket line outside the Hadfield school, as they stood with placards and flags that represent their union but also expressed their feelings towards the government.  Some of the messages included ‘pay up’ and ‘education is not a luxury’. 

Members of the National Education Union (NEU) are striking in a disagreement with the government, which has led to many classrooms being closed and some year groups told to stay at home.

Mick Connolly, a teacher from Glossopdale school told the chronicle why he is personally striking “Over the last ten years, education has been starved of the essential funding for teachers, for students and to actually get the necessary resources to do our job. Our current working conditions and shortage of resources is impacting and becoming the students' learning environment. If we are stressed, it gets passed onto the students”. 

This year represents the largest vote for strike action with 90.44% of teachers voting ‘yes’ after a turnout of 53.27%. 

Teacher Charlie Jackson, also from Glossopdale added “ We would like more funding from the government because we all know that if students are better educated they can get better jobs and create more wealth within the economy, we also want to be more valued as teachers”.

Read more from the Glossop Chronicle

Click here for more of the latest news

Click here to read the latest edition of the paper online

Click here to find out where you can pick up a copy of the paper