The NASUWT union has shared updates on the ongoing industrial action taking place at three schools in Wrexham.

The teachers union says its members are taking strike action over adverse management practices affecting workload and working conditions.

Members of NASUWT - The Teachers’ Union week started discontinuous strike action at three schools in Wrexham last week: Ysgol Clywedog, Darland High and Acton Park Primary School.

The NASUWT has been in dispute at Acton Park for nearly a year, with strike action taking place in July 2022.

However, lack of progress has forced NASUWT members to ballot again.

READ MORE: NASUWT Industrial action at three Wrexham schools

The NASUWT has been in dispute with Ysgol Clywedog and Darland High since November 2022 over the failure of the school to adhere to Welsh Government and​ local policies, endorsed and recommended by the Wrexham Local Authority and already implemented in other Wrexham schools.

The NASUWT has also stated that at Clywedog and Darland there has been an element of victimisation of Trade Union officials.

In an update the NASUWT stated that at Acton Park, a second day of strike action is taking place today, March 23 and a third day is planned for Tuesday, March 28.

At Clywedog, a second planned day of strike action due to take place yesterday, March 22 was withdrawn following positive talks with the employer.

Further negotiations are scheduled for the next few days but at present a further day of strike action is still planned for next Wednesday, March 29 should sufficient progress not be made by then in resolving the dispute.

At Darland, the strike action due to take place on Tuesday, March 22 this week was withdrawn following talks with the employer.

A further day of action is planned for next Thursday, March 30 should sufficient progress not be made by then in resolving the dispute.

In response to the industrial action the Governors of Acton Park Primary School have shared the following with their parents and carers:

"Many parent or carer concerns have been brought to our attention about the disruption caused by the industrial action of NASUWT members and request more information. This is challenging when we have to protect personal details of staff and are rightly bound by confidentiality.

"What we can update you on, is that we have been communicating personally with the NASUWT union representative over the past 2 months and the governing board have made attempts to deal with staff complaints seriously.

"We are frustrated that there is an assumption that we have had the specific grievances since last year and should have acted sooner.

"However, collective grievances were only received on 30th January 2023. Formal procedures in dealing with collective complaints have been stalled through information essential to the investigation being withheld and awaiting availability of an investigating officer.

"Last year, the industrial action linked to adverse management practices but also to redundancies. We did not have the information to investigate adverse practice at that point. Ongoing industrial action was suspended in the summer as the Local Authority and NASUWT worked through the redundancy complaints.

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"Governors were not directly involved in discussions around the trade dispute last year. Governors have not been sitting idle nor not acting upon staff complaints. Actions taken by the board include installing an Acting Headteacher, Mr Wade to the leadership team in September 2022, and working with the Local Authority who have been providing additional support to Acton Park Primary School this academic year.

"We want all barriers removing in order for the Governing board to investigate the alleged adverse management practices, and reach a conclusion which ends this trade dispute. We implore all complainants to work with us in order for governors to support them in resolving these grievances and work to gain an outcome for the sake of our children.

"As affected parents, we totally understand and share the anger and stress caused by the impact of this trade dispute on the education and wellbeing of our children.  The disruption to childcare causes many families additional worries. All of this damages the reputation of the school. The governors are working hard to move forward and request the support all stakeholders.

"NASUWT have not shared with Governors what we can do as a board to suspend or cease the strike action."

In response to Acton Park Primary schools comment, Neil Butler, a representative from NASUWT National Official Wales, said: “The governors at Acton Park know what the issues are in dispute and have known for a long time.

"The collective grievance was just packaging together issues which were well known. The governors also know the remedy. We await their response.”