Wakefield teachers join national pensions lobby

Wakefield MP Mary Creagh met with teachers from across the district on 26 October to listen to their concerns about government changes to public sector pensions. Mary accepted petitions from Wakefield College, Horbury Secondary School, South Parade Primary, and Ossett Academy which she agreed to send to Ministers.

Mary said “I understand the frustrations of teachers who work so hard to educate our young people in the district. The Government has gone about negotiations in completely the wrong way, announcing changes even before the Hutton report was complete. They need to negotiate properly to prevent further confrontation this autumn. I was impressed by the strength of feeling from Wakefield’s teachers who gave up a day of their half-term break to come to Parliament. I have written to Ministers on behalf of everyone from Horbury Secondary School, South Parade Primary, Ossett Academy, Wakefield College and the Council who signed the Pensions Petition."

She added "The hard working, dedicated teachers I met this week feel betrayed by the government’s negotiating strategy and are calling for meaningful negotiations to start urgently."