A group of teachers recently laid off at a special needs school in Glasgow have decided to sue for wrongful dismissal.
CORA Foundation, a not-for-profit company owned by the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Scotland, decided to close Springboig St John's School, which provided residential and day care for boys with severe emotional and behavioural needs, in June.
Around 80 jobs, including 14 teaching posts, were lost as a result of the closure.
Teacher George Carroll worked at St John's for 30 years, but received just £8,300 in redundancy pay. Mr Carroll said: "You bring these kids up, you don't just teach them.
"After 30 years service I have been left with a wife and five children to provide for, with no job and less than £9,000.
"We teach under the auspices of the Catholic Church: our employers have a moral obligation to look after their staff and the pupils."
Glasgow City Council said it was making plans to relocate former pupils of the school, but with the new school term starting on Monday the Evening Times reports 50 pupils still have not been found places.
A spokesman for CORA Foundation said: "The Board of Managers deeply regrets the fact that staff had to be made redundant.
"They are aware of a claim being pursued by [the teachers] at an employment tribunal and will defend this action.
"Since this legal action is ongoing it would be inappropriate to comment further on it."
Related links:
- Teachers take legal action after being axed by school (Evening Times)
- Redundancy rights (Findlaw.co.uk)
- Wrongful dismissal law (Findlaw.co.uk)
- Redundancy news (The Solicitor)
- Wrongful dismissal news (The Solicitor)
- Find an employment solicitor (Contact Law)
