Teachers in Darlington were striking again today, saying that better working conditions are needed to bring back the profession from the brink of collapse.

Staff from Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College (QE) in Darlington were on the picket line this morning (Wednesday, March 15), standing in solidarity, despite the freezing temperatures.

The Northern Echo headed down to the college to speak with some of the teachers on the current state of affairs.

The general opinion remains that the strikes are not just about pay, but about working conditions, resources, and funding.

Read more: 'A Message To You, Rishi': Teachers strike across Darlington over working conditions

According to the Institute of Fiscal Studies, teachers’ salaries fell by an average of 11 per cent in real terms over the last 12 years (2010 to 2022) although the National Education Union (NEU) argues it is nearer to 20 per cent.

Giles Bayliss, teacher and union member said: “Most teachers have been offered a five per cent pay rise after a decade of pay cuts or pay freezes. In effect that is a pay cut given the current rate of inflation and significant cost of living increases. This is an unfunded pay rise, meaning it comes out of existing school budgets.

“The two days of industrial action were avoidable. The Minister refused to speak to the unions about pay until they balloted for strike action and when the unions met Gillian Keegan, Secretary of State Education, prior to the last strike day, she did not offer any improvement on the pay offer.

“The Minister has since refused to meet the NEU unless it suspends its action. She is seeking to blame teachers when the problem rests squarely with the Government for refusing to negotiate.

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“There is a crisis in teaching which the Government is unwilling to address. As with junior doctors, retention in teaching is a major issue and a huge waste of resources and talent.

“One in four teachers leaves the profession within three years of qualification and a third leave within five years.

“The strength of feeling is evidenced by the fact that the NEU has had 50,000 new members since the start of strike action.”

Dominic McArdle, union member and teacher of philosophy and politics, said: “We all want to keep teaching, we don’t want to leave, but we’re already seeing good teachers leave the profession just the same as junior doctors are.

“It’s definitely not just about pay, that’s just one part of it. We’ve been speaking to students this morning and most of them sympathise with us.”

Read more: Darlington's Skapones release single featuring hit music stars The Specials

Paul Hesleton, English teacher and union member, said: “We’ve already lost teachers to other professions, we’ve lost subjects because those teachers leave. We want better working conditions, we’re not actually asking for anything crazy. The Government just doesn’t value teachers the way it should.”

Tim Fisher, principal at Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College, previously told The Northern Echo: “Whilst it is always regrettable when the education of young people is interrupted, it is also very important that we listen carefully to any concerns about the funding of vital public services.”

In a letter to the Education Secretary, Gillian Keegan, yesterday, joint NEU General Secretaries Dr Mary Bousted and Kevin Courtney said they held “enormous regret” about the strike action and the effect it would have on parents and children, however, the responsibility lied with the Education Department.

Read more: Darlington ska band to release 'A Message to You, Rishi' ahead of US tour & new album

They said: “The NEU has said repeatedly that we will meet for talks any time, any place, anywhere.

“It is your (Education Department) precondition that we call off strike action in order to have talks, which lies in the way.

“Last week, we, alongside the other education union leaders, asked for talks through ACAS in order to make progress. You refused to engage.”

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Darlington ska band, The Skapones, was asked to perform at an NEU rally in Trafalgar Square today to an crowd of 20,000 after having previously been asked by the Darlington branch of the NEU to entertain strikers at St John’s Academy in Darlington on the last strike day on February 1.

The off-the-cuff performance of a version of ‘A Message To You, Rudy’ by The Specials, with altered lyrics to reflect the opinion of striking teachers has now been released as a single.

Lynval Golding and Tim Smart from The Specials and Chrissy Boy from Madness feature on the single.

All proceeds from ‘A Message To You, Rishi’ are going to the NEU’s Hardship Trust Fund.