Corby town centre teachers' rally to launch day of action as union staff highlight cuts to pay and education - with a further event in Northampton

Striking teaching staff will take to the streets of Northamptonshire to highlight their first day of planned industrial action.

Today, Wednesday, February, 1, National Education Union (NEU) teacher members working in schools and colleges in the county will join their colleagues from across England and Wales to strike against cuts to pay and education.

A rally organised by the NEU will see teachers meet outside McDonald’s in George Street, Corby to send a ‘noisy’ and ‘colourful’ message.

Nick Raine, East Midlands’ senior regional officer for the NEU, said: “Our members are taking a stand today for a fully funded, above-inflation pay rise, because the profession cannot go on like this. Parents know the consequences of persistent underfunding, both for their school/college and for their child. This strike should not be necessary, and we regret the disruption caused to parents and pupils, but our aims are in the interests of everyone in the education community.”

The first rally in Corby will be from 8.30am to 10am meeting at the McDonalds end of George Street opposite the Corby Cube. Teachers will then assemble for the Northampton event at the Working Men’s Club, 56 Sheep Street for another rally from midday to 2pm.

Teachers say they want a fully-funded pay rise which doesn’t cut into existing school budgets.

Given the union’s size virtually all schools in North Northamptonshire will be affected and will close or partially close.

It is the largest teachers’ strike for a generation with today’s action the first of four planned dates across the county. Other strike days are also planned for Wednesday, March 1, Wednesday, March 15 and Thursday, March 16.

Mr Raine said: “Experienced teachers have seen a 23 per cent real terms pay cut since 2010. Given the current cost-of-living crisis and rising inflation, this is clearly an unsustainable situation for our members. The Government appears to have nothing to say to them.

“As well as allowing the profession to haemorrhage talent, the Government has missed its own targets for recruitment by an enormous margin and has done so for many years. Any sensible Government would by now have started to ask themselves why.”

The NEU say they will have a record number of pickets who will start their action at 7.30am.