Wolverhampton teachers strike called off at last minute as staff promised pay
Today's planned strike by teachers was called off at the 11th hour as staff prepared to walk out for the second time in a week over unpaid salary rises.
Directors at financially struggling St Peter's Collegiate School in Wolverhampton announced that funding had been secured to enable the pay-out and that the increase, including back pay, would appear in next month's pay packets.
The top secondary in Compton Park was forced to close last Thursday when teachers staged the first of six one-day strikes.
Two more had been planned this week and another three in April, to the dismay of parents concerned about approaching GCSEs.
In a letter to the union, Colin Hopkins, who is the chairman of directors, said: "As a result of ongoing discussions we have now secured funding which enables the school to meet the pay rises and progression payments.
"It is therefore possible to confirm that all entitlements and back pay will be received in April salaries. It should be noted however that the school is still under intense financial pressure and further discussions are ongoing with regard to a balanced budget for the future."
The settlement comes as a row had broken out over the legality of the strike, with the school's directors claiming the action was based on a ballot in 2011 before St Peter's converted to academy status, making it invalid.
It was also argued that the period of effectiveness of the ballot had expired.
The NASUWT teachers' union hit back, insisting the school's conversion to an academy had no bearing on the legality of the strike as it remained a Church of England school.
Lawyers have weighed in on both sides of the dispute.
Union leader Paul Nesbitt claimed the 2011 ballot was still live as it was called over 'adverse changes' to teachers' pay and conditions and that the dispute was ongoing.
He said a total sum of around £60,000 would cover the pay rises.
Due to its cash-flow problems, St Peter's lobbied the Education Funding Agency for a loan to pay the teachers and address other areas.
It insisted it was always committed to paying the one per cent annual increase when the cash came through.
Mr Nesbitt said they had not been unsympathetic to the school's financial problems and had offered 'support and solutions' but teachers' patience had run out.
They had vowed to carry out the full programme of strikes before yesterday's deal was struck.
