Dear Parent/Guardian
Full Day of Strike by Teachers and School Leaders on Wednesday 26th April 2023
I am writing to you about forthcoming strike action by the five teaching unions in Northern Ireland. You may have seen coverage of this in the news, and I wanted to inform you about the impact this is likely to have at our school.
How will strike action affect St. Mary’s High School?
When a strike takes place, those taking strike action stop work and withdraw their labour. Staff members involved in this industrial action will therefore not undertake any duties on Wednesday 26th April 2023.
A detailed risk assessment has been conducted which considers the impact the action will have on the health and safety of pupils, staff and visitors, and whether the school can run a full or amended curriculum, to determine whether it is possible to operate the school safely during the strike.
The Board of Governors has determined that the school will be closed for all pupils on Wednesday 26th April 2023 and will reopen as normal on Thursday 27th April 2023.
Clearly this is a difficult situation, which will cause disruption. I would ask you, however, to be understanding. This is a very unusual circumstance and is the direct result of the failure to take into account the very real concerns expressed by teachers and school leaders. Taking strike action is not something that anyone would undertake lightly. Those on strike will have thought long and hard about their decision and will lose pay for the period that they are on strike.
Yours sincerely
Ms. R. McLaughlin
Principal
