GMB members at Tower Hamlets school ignored by local authority
GMB reiterate call for Tower Hamlets Council to respond to the grievances of members at Bangabandhu School
Tower Hamlets Council should be ashamed about how they have handled this situation, says GMB London
GMB, the union for staff at the Bangabandhu Primary School in Tower Hamlets have continued to be ignored after having raised grievances against the then acting headteacher, Marigold Palmer Jones following an independent investigation that found she had bullied staff into signing new contracts. The new contracts included cuts in pay and hours. The report found that she had followed staff around the school and reduced them to tears. Despite this the governing body rewarded Palmer Jones with a permanent appointment. [See notes to editors for previous GMB press releases on Bangabandhu Primary School]
Following the governing body's refusal to deal with the findings of the report the support staff submitted a complaint to the local authority regarding the conduct of the governing body. This complaint was hand delivered to Tower Hamlets Council on Monday 20th November 2017.
Anna Lee, GMB Regional Organiser said:
"The conduct of the governing body was appalling when they decided to condone and reward bullying behaviour but Tower Hamlets Council should be ashamed about how they have handled this situation.
“Our members submitted this complaint over six weeks ago and we have heard absolutely nothing. The silence from the local authority has been deafening all along. They have never wanted to deal with this and think by ignoring our members we will just go away. I would like to assure the council that is not going to happen.
"All our members have ever wanted is to be treated fairly and to be listened to. If the governing body and Tower Hamlets had dealt with this in the right way to begin with we wouldn't be taking the action that we have.
“It is not only our members who have very real concerns about the management at Bangabandhu school, but the parents also. We know from speaking to parents that they too are being ignored. Their concerns and our concerns are just being brushed aside and those who work at the school and the community who use the school are ignored again and again.
“All of us who have raised concerns, staff, parents, and the wider community have been treated as an annoyance or nuisance. They hope we will just be quiet and go away.
"We would like to see Tower Hamlets Council respond to the member's complaint as a matter of urgency and to offer a genuine and sincere commitment to deal with the issues at the school. Until this happens our members will continue to protest against their treatment and to fight for justice. We will not be going anywhere."
ENDS
Contact: Anna Lee on 07870 176 720 or Kate Jenkins on 07904 164662 or GMB Press Office 07526 537 405
Notes to Editors
1] GMB London support Tower Hamlets school parents protest (27 Nov 2017)
https://www.gmblondon.org.uk/news/gmb-london-support-tower-hamlets-school-parents-protest
2] GMB support parents protest outside Tower Hamlets School (24 Nov 2017)
https://www.gmblondon.org.uk/news/gmb-support-parents-protest-outside-tower-hamlets-school
3] GMB demand Tower Hamlets council take action over bullying by headteacher (21 Nov 2017)
4] GMB protest outside Tower Hamlets school following bullying reports by headteacher (21 July 2017)
https://www.gmblondon.org.uk/news/protest-outside-school-following-bullying-reports-by-headteacher
