Members of the National Education Union across five schools in Hastings and Burgess Hill will take strike action on Tuesday, July 9, Wednesday, July 10 and Thursday, July 11.
The union says the industrial action is over an 'ongoing dispute over excessive workload increases and job cuts resulting from the Academy Trust not funding its schools in full'.
They say the funding situation has meant overall the Trust has been taking double the national average amount of money from schools compared to other multi-academy trusts. This has seen, in some cases, up to 28% of funding not reaching the school.
In negotiations with the NEU, the Trust has conceded it needs to radically change its funding model, but the union says it has failed to assure staff that the cuts needed for this will only fall on the central Trust not school budgets.
The strikes are scheduled at the following schools: Burgess Hill Academy, Hastings Academy, St Leonard’s Academy, Robsack Wood Academy and the Baird Academy. Further strike ballots at Lindfield Primary Academy and Blackthorns Primary Academy are currently also underway.
There will also be pickets from 7.30am – 9am as follows:
- Burgess Hill Academy, RH15 9EA 9, 10, 11 July
- Hastings Academy, TN35 5DN 9, 10, 11 July
- St Leonard’s Academy, TN38 8HH 9, 10, 11 July
- The Baird Academy, TN34 3TH 10, 11 July
- Robsack Wood Academy, TN38 9TE 10 July
Commenting on the situation, Phil Clarke East Sussex Branch Secretary and Vice-President, said,
“We had made real progress with the Trust over changing the indefensible funding model they had in place for their schools. It is very disappointing to find that they are now not meeting with us to ensure that in the future school funding is fully protected.
"We cannot understand why they have done nothing to avert the strikes this week. Unfortunately, it has only re-enforced our members’ views that the Trust leadership will not follow through on promises made to correct the mess they are in.”
A spokesperson for Brighton Universities Academies Trust said:
"Discussions between the Trust and the National Education Union (NEU) are ongoing. The Trust has listened to the concerns raised and has shown a commitment to implementing changes.
"Regrettably, these measures have not prevented the NEU from proceeding with industrial action at five of our 14 academies across East and West Sussex.
"The Trust remains committed to ongoing negotiations with the NEU to prevent future industrial action and to resolve the dispute. During these talks, we are unable to comment further."
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