Schools staff may strike as union official faces disciplinary action for speaking up about Covid test risks

By Toby Porter

Teachers are voting on a strike as their union official faces disciplinary action for speaking up about the risk of relying on Covid tests done by staff and parents.

Greenwich’s branch of the National Education Union is balloting members to defend their rep Kirstie Paton who is facing dismissal for speaking out about health and safety in schools.

If voting members agree, there could be walk-outs by teachers across the borough.

Ms Paton, a teacher of 20 years at The John Roan school, Maze Hill, Blackheath, used a trade union branded social media account to highlight fears some lateral flow tests (LFT) may not be reliable.

But the school says Ms Paton, an elected member of the union’s national executive, is being disciplined in the way any staff member would be – whether a union official or not.

United Learning – the Academy chain which now runs John Roan – are taking action against Kirstie on grounds of gross misconduct.

Tim Woodcock, Greenwich NEU District Secretary, said: “This is a contravention of human rights, trade union rights, and freedom of speech.

“It is victimisation for carrying out legitimate trade union activities and is an abuse of the school’s disciplinary procedures.

“We are balloting our members for strike action against this injustice.

“Sacking Kirstie would also deprive students of a passionate, experienced teacher at a time when they need academic and pastoral support the most.

“When institutions abuse their power to silence workers’  voices – as they have with NEU reps across the country, we must all band together: an injury to one is an injury to all. Stand in solidarity with Kirstie Paton.”

Ms Paton is National Education Union (NEU) co-representative at The John Roan School, a health and safety committee member, deputy district secretary and health and safety officer of the Greenwich NEU.

United Learning Schools ran a pilot on LFTs but Ms Paton raised concerns about the risks of using existing school staff to run the tests.

Other support staff unions also advised their members not to agree to such practices for health and safety reasons.

Michael Gavan, NEU London Regional Officer, said: “Kirstie has done nothing wrong – she has every right to speak up for her members. It is a union representative’s legal right to speak out on matters of public interest without fear of detriment.

“The issues Kirstie raised were of public interest: the perceived inattention to student, staff, and community health and subsequent neglected duty of care.

The NEU will do everything at our disposal to defend Kirstie – and all trade union representatives facing similar attacks.

Our members are balloting for industrial action – if the employer continues with this vexatious disciplinary, we will not back down.”

Kirstie is being disciplined because she responded on her NEU National Executive Member Facebook page to a blog on a Department for Education website.

It was from the headteacher of another UL school who promoted LTFs as an alternative to staff and students, if they come into contact with Covid-19 infection, being sent home to isolate.

But LFTs produce a high level of false negatives and the NEU – and medical and scientific experts including the government’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, advises they should not be used in that way.