SCHOOL trusts in York say parents will be informed this week about whether schools will close due to teacher strikes.

Members of the National Education Union across England have voted to go on strike in a dispute over pay and workloads.

Teachers in York will be taking part in the strikes on Wednesday, February 1, Tuesday, February 28, Wednesday, March 15 and Thursday, March 16.

The South Bank Multi Academy Trust (SBMAT) and the Pathfinder Multi Academy Trust (PMAT) have both said that parents with children at the schools they operate will be informed this week about whether they will have to close. 

A spokesperson for SBMAT said: "Our trust leader, Mark Hassack, along with the trust board, absolutely respect the rights of staff to take lawful strike action.

"We live in a democracy and the right of individuals to withhold their labour should be protected. We know that SBMAT staff value our position on this.

"We have asked our staff to let us know if they will be taking part in the strike action, and although there is no requirement on their part to do this, having this information will allow us to plan for the strike days. For those who choose not to tell us, they know that we accept and respect their choice.

"On the strike days we are planning to operate with all of our schools ‘open’ as a starting point, in line with Department for Education guidance.

"However, we realise and understand that this position may need to change depending on the information we have.

"We are aiming to let all parents and carers know whether the strike action will affect their children’s provision on Monday, January 23.

"As a family of schools, we will do all that we can to support our staff and the parents and carers of our pupils.”

As previously reported in The Press, a PMAT spokesperson said the trust has written to parents and carers to say they will be informed by Friday, January 27, if their schools will close, which will depend on the NEU membership within each school. 

Teaching union leaders spent six hours in talks with officials at the Department for Education on Friday, January 20, but the dispute remains unresolved.

Unions said there was no indication that more money will be made available to improve this year’s below-inflation pay rise which led to the ballots for strikes.

A Department for Education spokesperson said: "Following a meeting with the Education Secretary, officials have held constructive discussions, and reiterated that action would be highly damaging to children’s education, particularly following the disruption experienced over the past two years.”

The SBMAT covers the secondary schools Millthorpe and York High School, and the primary schools Woodthorpe, Carr Junior, Knavesmire, and Scarcroft.

Th PMAT covers the primary schools Acomb, Archbishop Holgate's, Badger Hill, Clifton with Rawcliffe, Hempland, Heworth CE, New Earswick, Rufforth, St Barnabas CE, St Lawrence CE, and Tang Hall.