School workers' union calls for urgent free school meals action

GMB Union, which has long campaigned for free school meals for all pupils, has called for urgent action in light of revelations around free school meals this week.

Images shared online showed “woefully inadequate” free school meal parcels sent to families in England.

The union, which represents over 100,000 school workers has called for an end to profiteering and government action to ensure standards are met.

Rehana Azam, GMB National Secretary, said:

“It's absolutely shocking. This is what happens when profit becomes a motive in public services - we've had enough of fat cats using the pandemic to line their own pockets, test and trace wasted billions and now this.

“Everyone working in schools and for our kids knows that hungry children don't learn and for some of the young people who need free school meals, it's their main meal of the day. It’s not good enough to apply to one family who posted a photo on Twitter, there is a much wider problem here.

“I can't believe we're still having a debate about whether we properly feed hungry children in this country. The Government just needs to sort this out - and sort it out now - with proper funding for free school meals and an end to profiteering in public services."