Unions are embracing new technology to make sure teachers and students are kept safe and Corona Virus under control by stopping the government’s plans to carry on as normal and reopen schools tomorrow.
In fact today marked something of a turning point in digital organising as the National Education Union had 400,000 people view its Zoom call including 70,000 members, making it the largest online political meeting in British history. Numbers more comparable to pre mass media rallies than modern ones, and much greater than previous well organised and attended online union events.
This is a turning point not only in the density of support from teachers, but that this is a major political issue which effects large swathes of the population, where we are seeing organised collective action take the lead and not leaving the issue to be decided by Westminster and lacklustre MPs.
2021 could begin with a change to where the actions of class struggle through organised labour begin to take the fight to the Tories and the callous greed shown consistently throughout the last year.
This unfortunately has not been shown any support by the current leader of the Labour Party, indeed the last member of the Labour Front Bench to show definitive support for the unions was Rebecca Long-Bailey supporting similar calls by the NEU shortly before her sacking from the Shadow Cabinet on dubious grounds. In fact Starmer, now infamously, said he expected children back at school ‘No Ifs, No Buts.’ Directly going against what the NEU had been saying.
We in the YCL can thankfully offer clear and unqualified support for the NEU and all education staff in their efforts to make schools safe. Should action be taken we will be organising in support. If you’ve not already please sign there petition here.
More information about why Teachers don’t feel able to return to work can be found here.
Daragh O’Neill
