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Union leaders support Ash Field Academy strikers

Post author:The Canary
Post published:5 June 2026
Post last modified:7 June 2026

Support staff at Ash Field Academy in Leicester were on strike from 3-5 June. This is part of a campaign to demand the reinstatement of victimised union rep Tom Barker. Barker was suspended on 30 October 2025. After more than seven months, three separate investigations, and five investigation meetings, Discovery Schools Academy Trust [DSAT], which runs Ash Field, is still refusing to reinstate Barker. Barker was suspended just three working days after UNISON members voted to strike over staffing cuts. Andrea Egan, UNISON’s general secretary, was in attendance at the Thursday 4 June picket. Addressing the strikers, Egan said: Tom has…

Labour members overwhelmingly support ban on arms to Israel

Post author:The Canary
Post published:3 June 2026
Post last modified:8 June 2026

New polling of Labour Party members shows they overwhelmingly oppose the UK selling arms to Israel. They also want an end to trade with Israel’s illegal settlements. Over 60% are dissatisfied with the UK government’s response to Israel’s atrocities in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and want it to take stronger action. This includes an 87% majority backing a ban on trade with illegal settlements, and a 78% majority backing the suspension of all UK arms exports to Israel. The poll also found over two-thirds support suspending the UK-Israel Trade and Partnership Agreement. The polling, commissioned by Save the Children UK, Christian…

Federated Hermes targeted over oil pipeline support

Post author:The Canary
Post published:27 May 2026
Post last modified:8 June 2026

As the climate crisis made itself all too evident across the UK with searingly high temperatures, climate activists occupied the lobby of the UK headquarters of Federated Hermes. They called on the company to stop funding the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP). This is a massive ‘carbon bomb’ expected to generate 379 million tonnes of CO2 in its lifetime. The activists from Cut The Ties to Fossil Fuels entered the lobby of Federated Hermes handing out leaflets to staff and displaying banners saying “EACOP is a Carbon Bomb”. Outside they painted windows with the slogan “DROP EACOP” and stuck oily…

Support staff at Leicester school to escalate strike campaign

Post author:The Canary
Post published:26 May 2026
Post last modified:8 June 2026

Teaching assistants, residential workers, and other support staff at Ash Field Academy, a Leicester SEND school, completed their third day of strike action on Thursday 14 May. They’re demanding that Discovery Schools Academy Trust (DSAT), which runs the school, reinstates their trade union rep, Tom Barker. DSAT suspended Barker from Ash Field on 30 October 2025. This was just four working days after the closure of a ballot in which UNISON members voted for strike action over staffing cuts. DSAT linked the suspension to unspecified conduct concerns. Almost seven months on, DSAT has still produced no evidence to support any allegations…