I've never had an apology for the illness this has caused me

TEACHER AWARDED £370K BY TRIBUNAL AFTER SACKING

- By NEAL KEELING

AN INDUSTRIAL tribunal has awarded a primary school teacher £370,000 after finding she was unfairly sacked and discriminated against for 'trade union reasons.

The Salford teacher, Carmen Wood-Hope, told the M.E.N.: “The human cost to me and my husband has been devastating.

“I have never received an apology for the undue stress and illness it caused me from the school, or any apology from the local governing body, or from the head teacher, or Paul Dennett (city mayor). Nobody has apologised for what they did to me.” She added: “I lost the job I loved and was good at.”

Well-respected Ms Wood-Hope, who had 30 years' experience as a teacher, was employed at The Friars Primary School in Salford from 2014. She became a member of the school's senior leadership team as the school's liaison and cohesion lead, with responsibility for relations with parents and staff.

An employment tribunal held over 10 days heard she was an excellent classroom teacher who had, in March 2017, been recommended for and received an additional pay award to reflect her 'highly competent' performance. But after she became the NUT, later NEU, workplace representative for teaching staff members at the school, she ended up being dismissed.

But she successfully sued The Friars and has been awarded £370,563 after winning claims of unfair dismissal, trade union detriment, and disability discrimination. But Miss Wood-Hope says she has only received about £240,000 of the money as Salford council has objected to one part of the payout.

The town hall has disputed the element included for tax liability, which is approximately £130,000.