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School strike 'abuse of rights' Union in legal threat to Lewsley
(about 13 hours later)
Children's Commissioner Patricia Lewsley has said the strike by 25 teachers at Movilla High School is an "abuse of children's rights". The union representing 25 teachers on strike at Movilla High School is seeking legal advice about comments made by the children's commissioner.
The dispute arose over their pay being docked when they refused to teach a pupil they claim assaulted one of them. Commissioner Patricia Lewsley described the NASUWT action as an "abuse of children's rights".
Talks to resolve the issue have failed and the commissioner said the issue had been blown out of proportion. The dispute arose after teachers' pay was docked when they refused to teach a pupil they claim assaulted one of them.
"I have already offered to mediate in this dispute. That has been refused by the unions," she said. The NASUWT said they had instructed solicitors to seek advice on pursuing an official complaint.
"They have been in negotiations and I think that there is the possibility of a resolution if they were prepared to sit down and talk about it." Chris Keates, general secretary of the NASUWT, said Ms Lewsley had made "scurrilous and ill-informed allegations against the NASUWT".
Peter Scott from the NASUWT, the union representing the 25 striking teachers, said he thought Ms Lewsley should have recognised the seriousness of the situation. "Her intervention has made an already difficult situation worse," he said.
"Twenty-five teachers don't just take this sort of action, unless there is some reason for it," he said. "We are now awaiting the advice of our legal representatives on the remedies available to us to challenge these allegations."
Talks to resolve the issue are not expected to resume until Wednesday.
Mrs Lewsley said her offer to mediate had been turned down by the unions.
"They have been in negotiations and I think that there is the possibility of a resolution if they were prepared to sit down and talk about it," she said.
The South Eastern Education and Library Board said it deeply regretted that no resolution had been found to the dispute at the County Down school.The South Eastern Education and Library Board said it deeply regretted that no resolution had been found to the dispute at the County Down school.
The teachers at the 540-pupil school in Newtownards have been striking since Monday, 13 October.The teachers at the 540-pupil school in Newtownards have been striking since Monday, 13 October.
Talks at the Labour Relations Agency late last week failed to resolve the situation.Talks at the Labour Relations Agency late last week failed to resolve the situation.
Representatives of the NASUWT said they put a proposal to the SEELB to resolve the dispute but had not been contacted by the board over the weekend.
The union said it had asked the board to make alternative arrangements for the pupil.
In a statement issued on Sunday the board confirmed that the school would remain closed on Monday.