LEYTON: Teacher strike called off

3:11pm Friday 4th July 2008

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A TEACHERS' strike has been averted after it was agreed that a member of staff could job share following maternity leave.

Members of the National Union of Teachers at Norlington School for Boys in Norlington Road had voted in favour of a one-day strike on Tuesday in protest of what they viewed as "inflexible" working practices and discrimination against women with children.

But following crisis talks between the school's management and the NUT yesterday, an agreement was reached that the teacher in question - the school's head of English - could job share, and would not be forced to work fulltime or resign as previously suggested.

A joint statement released by the school and the NUT stated: "The governing body of Norlington School for Boys and the NUT are pleased to confirm that through detailed discussions a mutually acceptable solution has been reached.

"The agreement meets the needs of the school staff and addresses the concerns of the headteacher and the NUT. All parties are delighted at this agreement and to ensure that the boys' education has not been disrupted."

The school has agreed to advertise for a teacher to share the post with the present teacher on a job share basis, and that until the post is filled the teacher can work reduced hours during next term.

The NUT had argued that the law allows for flexible working, and the local authority has an equal opportunities policy that states it "promotes job-sharing as a way of making jobs more accessible". The Union hopes that this case would set a precedent so that other schools adhere to that policy.

NUT division secretary Rinaldo Frezzato said: "The important thing was that the job share was agreed and I am very pleased that it has been resolved and that a strike was averted. I hope that we are able to establish a position where the likelihood of another dispute on this issue is very remote.

"I'm also pleased that following this, a similar problem at another school was quickly resolved."