NUT wins court case to go ahead with sixth form college strike

The Government's challenge to the NUT's 6th form College strike has been defeated today in the High Court. The strike action will now be going ahead tomorrow, Tuesday 15 March. Kevin Courtney, Deputy General Secretary of the National Union of Teachers, the largest teachers' union, said:

The High Court's decision is a victory for democracy and common sense. It is abundantly clear that Government cuts to sixth form college funding are having a direct impact on our members' terms and conditions and as such we are entitled to take strike action.

Sixth form colleges provide a vital service to over 150,000 young people, many from disadvantaged backgrounds. Yet Government funding cuts mean many of those services will soon be financially unviable. The cuts will result in a further loss of courses, job losses and increased class sizes.

It is regrettable that the Government has not attempted to resolve the dispute. No one wants to take strike action but this is a serious issue that is getting increasingly worse. The NUT has been left with no option but to raise awareness of the problem through industrial action. Nicky Morgan's challenge to the legitimacy of our strike action has just made that job easier.

Note: The bus from Leicester leaves Victoria Park at 8.30am.