Teachers call bullying hotline over ‘intimidation’ ahead of strike days
TEACHERS have been calling a union hotline to report bullying and intimidation from managers.
The NASUWT union asked for members to report incidents as it plans a twoday strike at a Glasgow school over allegations of bullying.
The union said the phone line, open for a week, has already had dozens of calls from concerned staff at schools in the city.
Complaints include claims that management are discouraging the reporting of bad behaviour by pupils and blaming teachers.
One said: “Colleagues have been told not to write referrals.
“This feels like intimidation and that I am being blamed for doing my job.”
Another member, who reported work related stress said: “I was informed that ‘your mental health isn’t my problem’. They then denied ever having made this comment.”
Another told of a friend’s case, stating: “A friend of mine requested to be part time after maternity leave. She was told if her request was granted she would have to agree to move school without knowing which school she would be sent to.”
Teachers are preparing to strike at Rosshall Academy on Tuesday and Wednesday over bullying and intimidation claims.
After receiving around 50 calls the union is now planning to keep the line open longer.
Ms Chris Keates, General Secretary (Acting) of the NASUWT, said: “We opened the hotline in response to concerns raised by members in Glasgow over the abuse of their contractual rights over cover and reports of intimidating and bullying behaviour towards staff.
“The response so far from teachers shows that our concerns were well founded and the hotline has exposed a number of serious issues, in particular the lack of support for teachers in managing pupil behaviour and the lack of respect for them as skilled professionals. ”
Glasgow City Council said it has tried to resolve the dispute at Rosshall Academy.
A spokeswoman said: “It’s deeply regrettable that the NASUWT union has not called off the planned strike action at Rosshall Academy next week despite the council’s best efforts to try and reach a resolution.
She added: “In fact, the union has declined to either sit around the negotiating table or respond to numerous communications – including an offer to not process deductions for those teachers who have not attended agreed
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“This is what we understand to be the main point of the dispute and are therefore puzzled as to why the union is determined to continue with their planned action that will obviously result in a two-day disruption to the pupils’ education.
“We would urge NASUWT to accept our offer to talk and reach a satisfactory conclusion for their members that will not impact our families as they have advised us of more action in other schools across the city.”