Teachers’ leader calls for crackdown on ‘bad bosses’ in private schools

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. If these schools continue their shoddy treatment of the workforce, then the public seriously needs to question whether these schools should continue to benefit from public contracts or tax subsidies Union leader Patrick Roach Dr Roach said that among private schools, there was a “growing list of shame”, including the GDST, where schools were “vying to strip teachers of their pension rights, without the slightest justification for doing so”. Dr Roach said ministers had refused to do this, and that it was “not good enough” for Prime Minister Boris Johnson to say that the use of fire and rehire was unacceptable “whether in independent schools or the shameful actions by bosses at P&O ferries”. In his conference speech, Dr Roach criticised Tory MP Michael Fabricant for comments regarding teachers and nurses having a “quiet drink” in staffrooms at the end of their working day, in defence of Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s involvement with partygate. “And, from the comments I’ve read on social media, I know where many would like to stick that lightning rod!” Dr Roach added that it was a “pity” that Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi had not joined the conference in person, instead sending a video message of thanks to teachers for their work instead.