Haringey Council’s chief executive will meet with a teaching union in a bid to avoid further strike action.

In a letter to London regional secretary of the NUT Bob Stapley, Nick Walkley offered to meet with NUT representatives to discuss the working relationship between the union and the council.

Relations between the two organisations have been sour following the suspension of Haringey NUT secretary Julie Davies for gross misconduct in September.

Although he does not mention the case directly in the letter, Mr Walkley indicates that it will not be possible to discuss “individual cases” in the meeting. He adds that the council values its working relationship with trade unions.

The chief executive wrote: “I do believe that for us to have a discussion about working relationships across the council, it would not be appropriate for us to discuss individual cases which are being progressed through our agreed procedures although I do recognise that there are a number of areas of common interest that we can explore to our mutual benefit.”

Niall O'Connor, Haringey NUT deputy secretary, last week said the union was in dispute with the council over the suspension of Ms Davies, which it considers to be politically motivated.

NUT members are threatening borough-wide strike action if the disciplinary case against Ms Davies continues.

Earlier this month, teachers went on strike in Fortismere and Highgate Wood schools after it emerged that headteachers at both schools had called for the suspension of Ms Davies in a letter to the council.

The strike action was called off after talks between headteachers and the NUT.

Mr O'Connor said the union welcomed the letter from Mr Walkley. He said: “The offer of talks with the council are a positive step forward."

  • On Friday we reported that Nick Walkley, Haringey Council’s chief executive, was to meet the NUT to discuss the suspension of Julie Davies. This was incorrect - he cannot discuss individual cases. As stated above Mr Walkley offered to meet NUT representatives to discuss the working relationship between the union and the council. We are happy to set the record straight.