Glasgow Save Our Schools Campaign

PRESS RELEASE … for immediate use (21st April)



RESISTANCE TO SCHOOL CLOSURES SPREADS – SUPPORT FROM TRADE UNIONS



As decision-day at the Glasgow city council looms, parents and carers have won fresh allies in the battle to save the schools and nurseries on Labour’s amended hit-list for closure. Parents staged sit-ins at two schools just two days after the 15-day sit-ins ended, and a delegation from the city-wide Glasgow Save Our Schools Campaign won support from several trade unions at the STUC Congress in Perth.



Glasgow Save Our Schools Campaign organiser, Richie Venton, today said:



“Protests are breaking out like bush fires beneath the backsides of the Labour councillors on the eve of the Council meeting on Thursday.

“Those who staged the sit-in at Victoria school were applauded for their courage by a huge crowd of local people as the came out of the building.

“Parents on the roof-top protest at Our Lady of Assumption in Ruchill have shown immense determination in resisting the closure, and there is no excuse for the Council’s over-reaction, dumping kids in another school, because the protest in no way would interfere with the kids’ education – it’s the council’s planned closure that does that!

“A delegation of us travelled to meet delegates at the annual Congress of the Scottish Trade Union Congress. We won massive support from several trade unions who recognise that the cuts in staffing levels, rise in class sizes, threats to parents’ ability to hold down jobs, and assault on community facilities are all issues that trade unionists should take up.

“Given the historic link between Labour and the unions, they would do well to ponder the widespread support for the campaign to stop the closures that union leaders and delegates expressed

This campaign will not go away – we are finding fresh allies in the fight for local community schools with smaller class sizes.”



For more info contact Richie Venton on 07828 278 093 or at richieventon@hotmail.com



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