Rawmarsh strikers vow to strike to defend teacher

The only member of the NUT union at Rawmarsh Community School still facing being forced out is union representative Ralph Dyson, who led nine days of strikes earlier this year to stop 25 jobs being axed.

Members of the National Union of Teachers have voted unanimously to resume strikes when the summer term starts if his case is not resolved.

One NUT member said: “We’re not going to abandon Ralph to sink when he held the lifeboats for the rest of us to get in.”

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The dispute started when new head teacher Dr Stuart Wilson announced that 25 teachers and nine support workers were being made redundant at the end of the spring term due to financial difficulties.

But after some teachers left for other jobs, went part-time, shared jobs or took voluntary redundancy, the number of enforced redundancies among teachers was reduced to just one.

John Dalton, from Rotherham NUT, said: “Management expected the NUT to call off action at this point but the members voted overwhelmingly to continue action until the number of NUT redundancies is zero. 

"The NUT group is giving the school a short time to finally resolve the situation but if they fail more action will be announced.”

During this dispute the NUT has received more than 100 messages of support such from organisations and individuals all over the country plus many visits to the picket line.