School strike: Pupils at Glenveagh special school to stay home during action

Many of Glenveagh's classroom assistants are members of the Unite union

Pupils at a Belfast special school will remain at home for two weeks after Easter due to strike action by many staff.

Glenveagh school has told parents it will be "disproportionately affected" by the strike.

Many of its classroom assistants are members of the Unite union, which is taking action for 12 days from 26 April.

The union has said a pay offer of 1.75% is a real terms cut.

Inflation has soared to about 7% recently due to rising fuel and food prices.

The union's members employed by the Education Authority, local councils and the Housing Executive are due to go on strike.

That follows a week-long walk-out in March.

The Department of Education has said it is extremely concerned some pupils will be unable to attend school during the strike.

Many pupils' journeys to school will also be hit by action by bus drivers at Translink who are members of the Unite and GMB unions, from Monday 25 April.

'Unique challenges'

The department also said the strikes would cause "unique challenges" for special schools.

Almost all classroom assistants at Glenveagh special school in Belfast are members of Unite.

Pupils were unable to receive face-to-face teaching in school during the previous action in March.

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On Friday, parents received a letter from the school telling them that would be the case again for two weeks after the Easter school holiday.

Unite members employed by the Education Authority are due to strike from Tuesday 26 April until Sunday 1 May and from Tuesday 3 May until Sunday 8 May.

In a letter sent to parents, Glenveagh's principal Anne Moore said they fully supported the right of staff to strike.

"Glenveagh school remains disproportionately affected by the strike action in comparison to other schools," the letter said.

"This is due to the vastly higher number of support staff who are members of Unite the Union, coupled with the acute vulnerabilities of our pupils.

"These vulnerabilities mean that they require a much higher staff/pupil ratio to ensure safe provision than most other schools."

'Significant disruption'

She said almost all of the school's non-teaching staff would be taking strike action and the school had "no option" but to move to remote learning.

"We understand how crucial face-to-face attendance at school is for our pupils, however we simply cannot deliver this safely in these circumstances," the letter continued.

"We understand that this will cause significant disruption to our pupils and families."

The letter also urged the Education Authority and the unions to try to resolve "this very challenging situation".

School transport for some pupils at other special schools will be affected by the strike but Glenveagh is the only one of 39 so far to tell pupils they will be unable to come into school.

There are generally many more classroom assistants working in special schools than mainstream schools in order to help meet the additional needs of many pupils.

Full timetable for strike action

• 25 April-1 May and 3 May-8 May: Staff at the NI Housing Executive; nine councils (Antrim and Newtownabbey; Armagh, Banbridge & Craigavon; Causeway Coast & Glens; Mid & East Antrim; Belfast City; Derry City & Strabane; Fermanagh & Omagh; Lisburn & Castlereagh; and Mid-Ulster); and three further education colleges (North West Regional College; Belfast Metropolitan College; South Eastern Regional College)

• 26 April-1 May and 3 May-8 May: Staff at Lumen Christi College in Londonderry

• 3 May-15 May: Staff at Ards & North Down Borough Council

• 6 May: Staff at Newry, Mourne and Down District Council