Day of Action 30th November - Live
National Action Strike Instructions (PDF 141KB)
View photo gallery of NASUWT's Day of Action so far (new window)
Send in your photos of the action at campaigns@mail.nasuwt.org.uk
4.06pm As darkness descends, brave NASUWT members across the UK return home knowing that they have made a brave stand for educational standards. November 30 is not the end. Colleagues, the fight must go on. But well done for today. The workers, united, will never be defeated.
3.44pm Emma_Thomas on Twitter: Just back from Cambridge rally... Good turn out... Point well made :-)
3.33pm If you havent sent in any photos of your day, dont worry - send them in to campaigns@mail.nasuwt.org.uk tonight and over the next few days. We want to get a visual record of the day in all parts of the country.
3.26pm @baboohaz on Twitter: my first rally today. Had a great time! http://pic.twitter.com/cQOEx7V4
3.11pm "Back teachers, we are moulding the future," Suzanne Rule, NASUWT Young Activist of the Year, tells TUC rally before getting a standing ovation for her speech.
3.01pm With large attendances at rallies across the country, NASUWT has really stood up for standards. Today is not the end of the Union's efforts though. After yesterday's announcement by George Osborne the misery and inequality are set to deepen.
2.48pm More from the General Secretary in Birmingham: "Teachers don't want to inconvenience the public but today's strike is not the fault of ordinary workers, it is the fault of a government which has played fast and loose with the rights and entitlements of ordinary working people. Hundreds of thousands of working people voted for industrial action yet not one single person in this country voted for the Coalition. Not one single person voted for the destruction of our public services and our welfare state and the wrecking of our economy. Not one single person voted for millions of pounds of taxpayers money to be poured into the pockets of private profiteers who are threatening our public health and education services."
2.34pm Chris Keates, NASUWT GS, tells packed NIA:
"Working people are the real coalition - the fight for pensions justice must not end today.
"This government wants teachers and other public service workers to work longer at a time when youth unemployment is at record levels and we are risking another lost generation at the hands of a Tory government.
"For every pound taxpayers pay for public sector pensions, £2.50 is spent plugging the gap in private sector provision caused by unscruplous employers who fail to provide adequate pensions for their employees."
2.26pm @littletorelate on Twitter: #NASUWT at #N30 Winchester Rally. My Grandfather Ernest Martin (founding member of NAS) would be proud. http://pic.twitter.com/ZDhnyGqn
2.14pm Below is the scene at the National Indoor Arena, Birmingham where a mass rally is taking place.
2.09pm Just spoken to Kathy Wallis, NASUWT Executive Member in the South-West who says that Plymouth was 'brought to a standstill'
1.52pm ZMCRock on Twitter: "People dont want 'more' either, they merely want what they were promised when they joined the scheme.
1.43pm Dr Patrick Roach tells Cardiff rally: "Be proud of what you have achieved today - you are taking an important stand. You are standing up for pensions justice. Standing up for ordinary working people and families. David Cameron has no mandate for attacking pensions. No one voted for the Coalition Government."
1.35pm Marches and rallies continue across the country on this momentous day of industrial action. Great coverage on national media channels and this nice little pic from Aberdeenshire.
1.28pm Chris Keates: "This is not about equity of misery."
1.12pm View NASUWT Junior Vice President Mick Lyons' speech to a rally in the East Midlands.
12.29pm Reports on various marches of members being put under pressure by heads on strike issue. Shameful.
12.23pm JMoses4NASUWT on Twitter: Estimated 10,000 gathered in Manchester for #N30. NASUWT members out in force making their voices heard Standing up for Standards #SufS
12.12pm Patrick Roach tells ITV Wales: We are here to stand for our members pensions, pay and decent working conditions." Other lines from speeches across the country:
- Teachers are taxpayers, too. They have been responsible. They have saved for their retirement.
- The coalition government is taxing ordinary workers, whilst allowing a repetition of the greedy and reckless behaviour which caused the banking crisis in the first place.
- Ordinary workers and families must not be made to pay the price for the economic crisis.
- Cutting the incomes of ordinary workers and pensioners means people will have less money to spend. That is bad news for the economy.
- Cutting pensions and decimating our public services is damaging to individuals and is bad for the economy.
12.04pm The NASUWT is participating in events the length and breadth of the country. Details of events taking place in each region of the UK can be found at www.nasuwt.org.uk/November30
11.48am Watch waving of flags creating a 'a sea of blue' at East Midlands rally
1142am Feeder march from Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge "nearing the city centre with hundreds of marchers in good spirits"
1130am Frank Davies on Facebook: "As a retired teacher I fully support your day of action. We all signed up to the long haul in teaching and signed up to a pension scheme that should be honoured. If they must change the scheme change it for new entrants and SEE HOW MANY take up the challenge of teaching in these times!"
1124am Victor Aguera on Twitter: Happy st andrews day particularly to our colleagues in Scotland on this historic day for workers across our nation #nasuwt #sufs
1115am Teacher Andy Horsfield is on the picket line at Hillroad 6th Form College, Cambridge: "Ive never been on strike before. Im angry that I am in this position. There has been no progress on pensions but I am here for more than pensions. I am concerned about the corrosion of the profession. There are 20 teachers here and I am the youngest at nearly 40. By the time my son who is 2, takes his A-levels who will be his teacher?"
1111am The General Secretary will be appearing on the BBC News 1 o'clock bulletin. Tune in to see what she has to say.
1059am Sir Cur on email: NASUWT contingent numbered over 50. Lots of schools closed. Teachers working at home for the children and forgoing a days pay for what is right.
1034am Georgetheemu on Twitter: True North East spirit at the Gateshead rally @nasuwtunion brass band playing carols #n30
1028am NASUWT members across Wales have responded tremendously to the TUC's National Day of Action, with 95% of schools closed. The NASUWT is taking part in marches and rallies across the country including at Aberwystwith, Bangor, Cardiff. Mold, Wrexham, Swansea, and Carmarthen. In Cardiff Deputy General Secretary Patrick Roach did a series of media interviews with BBC Good Morning Wales and the BBC News channel.
Dr Roach said the response from members had been "very positive" and they were fully behind the Day of Action. He said he had "a great deal of sympathy" with members of the public facing disruption but stressed the strike action was "forced upon us by the intransigence of this Government". In Cardiff dozens of members have begun to arrive for a massive march through the city centre followed by a rally at the SWALEC arena.
1017am Members arrive at march in East Midlands with NASUWT Junior Vice President Mick Lyons
1007am SaveThatPanda on Twitter: First time protester -"we must make a stand today to protect the job we love."
1001am Some more stats for you:
The change from RPI to CPI pensions indexation is taking 15% from the value of the pensions which have ordinary workers have spent their working lives saving for.
The value of the average retired teacher’s pension being cut by around £140 per month.
0954am Mike Grant in Hull: "Government driving a wedge between public and private sector workers."
0948am NASUWT members in Hull gather for a meeting.
This strike is not a selfish act. It is about securing justice for all workers and ensuring that we continue to have great public services.
Today’s strike is not the fault of ordinary workers, it is the fault of a government that has played fast and loose with the rights and entitlements of ordinary workers.
942am Emmy, a 24-year-old teacher from Durham sent in her picture of her on the way to a march in Durham
934am Deputy GS @PatrickR_NASUWT on Twitter: Great support today from the people of Cardiff for teachers and for #N30 #pensionsjustice March and rally will be an historic moment #sufs
928am Some great banners out there today. A picture of this one was sent in by Lainey Docherty in Glasgow, Scotland.
920am Where are you today? Get the full details of activities across the UK
914am Kathy Wallis, National Executive Member, in NASUWT Facebook group: "
910am Deputy General Secretary Patrick Roach delivers eloquent justification for action on BBC News "It’s time to tell the public the truth about public sector pensions."
901am DestinyofL on Twitter - With Shell's NASUWT ppl on bus to Newcastle march. HUGE influx of ppl at Durham pick-up point! :)
854am Don't forget you can join the conversation on what is going on in your local area by visiting us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/NASUWT and join one of the local Facebook groups.
849am NASUWT will be making its presence felt at rallies and marches across the country. In London, the banners are ready.
845am JMoses4NASUWT on Twitter: En route to Manchester with the NASUWT SVP to join the #N30 rally and march. Let's make it a day to remember!
840am The General Secretary will join TUC GS Brendan Barber and Unison GS Dave Prentis outside City hospital at noon before addressing a rally at the NIA from 130pm
View image of Chris Keates meeting members at Swanhurst
834am On Twitter - 1986Daz: Id much prefer 2b doing what I'm good at & be in school teaching but have to stand up for what I believe is fair #strike #sufs
830am Members at Evelyn Primary School, Knowsley defy the cold to make their stand - view image.
826am NASUWT General Secretary Chris Keates is visiting a picket outside Swanhurst School in the West Midlands talking to members.
823am We will be reading out tweets and emails from members on this page. Let us know what the atmosphere is like where you are.
821am NASUWT has reporters in Birmingham and Cardiff with NASUWT National Officials in other cities such as Manchester, Exeter, Nottingham. Are you at a picket? Send in your photos of the action at campaigns@mail.nasuwt.org.uk
8am Good morning colleagues on this historic day with NASUWT members joining public sector workers across the country in taking strike action as part of a national day of action, after voting emphatically for industrial action over pay, pensions, workload, job security and conditions of service. The day of action is being supported by the TUC, STUC, WTUC and ICTU.
The focus of the Day of Action is Pensions Justice. Teachers, like other public service workers, are facing the bleak prospect of paying considerably more, working considerably longer and receiving considerably less from their pensions. The government has, until very recently, shown remarkably little willingness to engage seriously with trade unions on the proposed changes to public service pension schemes. The day of action on is designed to protest against the Coalition Government’s proposed pension reforms and to raise public awareness on the issue.
Today will also be a great opportunity for NASUWT members to explain to parents and the public why teachers are Standing Up For Standards, what the campaign is all about and how parents and the public can lend their support to it.
Download public information leaflets and other materials
If members in your schools organise an event, let us know. You can tell us about it by sending an email to campaigns@mail.nasuwt.org.uk.
We also want to hear from you about what you are doing. Don’t forget to share information about what you are doing on the NASUWT Twitter and Facebook pages.
Twitter: @nasuwtunion
