Academies Opposition Goes Across All Unions
Both Unison and UCU have written to the city council objecting to the Council's plans to open three new academies.
Unison states in its letter:
It will always be UNISON's stance that public services should remain in the public domain for a myriad of reasons including accountability, regulation, stability and effective service delivery. UNISON believes that public services are best provided by directly-employed public service workers who put the needs of the community first. The preference for private over public provision is based on an unfounded belief that the private sector is more efficient - which it is not!
Les Price, writing on behalf of UCU, states:
Can I record with you UCU's deep unease at the recent decision taken by Leicester City Council to proceed with consultation on the development of three more Academies in our City. This smacks of a total abdication of responsibility by the Council towards families and children in our City and can only lead to public controversy and dispute at the very time when we could all be working together to improve the learning and life chances of Leicester's children and young people.