Letter: Teacher strikes a threat to the future of students

This is a copy of the letter sent to Martin Ward, principal of  Shrewsbury Sixth Form College.

I am deeply concerned that my son’s and other students education is now being affected by these continued strikes at Shrewsbury Sixth Form College.

I am a school governor at a senior school  and I have raised at our governor meetings the prospect of our taking disciplinary action against strikers.

Your teachers have a duty to provide regular high quality education to your students; they are not doing this by striking regularly.

I want to know whether you have considered issuing verbal or written warnings to strikers?

Have you ? If not why not ?

You are within your rights to take this type of disciplinary action providing all strikers are treated the same – to strike is a human right but it is also a breach of your teachers’ employments contracts, this should have consequences.

The consequences of these continued strikes are potentially far reaching and permanent on your students – the consequences for the strikers should be equally far reaching and also potentially permanent up to and including dismissal as necessary.

I welcome your response Mr Ward but as a pan European recruiter I can assure our competitors in the Far East would not put up with this for long.

It is these people that your pupils jobs are being lost to on a yearly basis – damaging their education and reducing the Governments tax take will also not help your teachers final salary pensions be paid long into their future.

Sean Toms

Shrewsbury