protecting teachers defending education vote yes in the nut ballot
TRANSCRIPT
Protecting TeachersDefending Education
Vote Yes in the NUT Ballot
Why this campaign?
• Never before have our pay, our pensions, our conditions of employment and our professionalism been under such direct attack
• It is not an accident: this Government is determined to break up democratically controlled public education as we know it
• This is a strategic response from the NUT and NASUWT - working together on an unprecedented joint campaign
NUT & NASUWT working together
NUT & NASUWT working together
What does the declaration cover?• Workload pressures: damaging teachers’ health,
threatening educational standards• Pensions: unfair contribution increases and changes to
pension ages• Pay: proposals for local pay and performance related
pay and the continuation of the pay freeze• Conditions: attacks on national terms and conditions of
service, including through academisation of schools • Jobs: arising from funding cuts and curriculum reforms
NUT & NASUWT working together
Joint declaration launched on 28th MayJoint letter to Government demanding talksNUT ballot in summer term (separate ballots for
schools/academies, 6FCs and Wales)NUT and NASUWT marches on 14th July
If no movement from Government- joint non strike sanctions from Sept- joint strike action later in the term
NUT & NASUWT working together
What sort of non strike sanctions?- enhancing teaching/learning while hitting out at over-the-
top accountability- such as refusing to hand in short term planning, attend
more than one directed meeting per week or cooperate with more than 3 PM observations per year
- not withdrawal of goodwill
What sort of strike action?- both unions will take any strike action together
Where do 6FCs fit in?
• Disputes for schools/academies and for 6FCs are both disputes with the Secretary of State
• Dispute for 6FCs focuses on– Requiring 6FCs to have pay and conditions as
minimum equivalent to STPCD– Making this requirement a condition of funding – Limiting OFSTED inspections
Building the 6FC campaign
• NUT campaign has already highlighted the problems facing 6FCs and teachers
• Joint campaign takes forward the unanimous NUT Conference resolution on 6FCs by– continuing the pay and funding campaign– working towards pay comparability with schools– working with other unions– providing for action up to strike action
• Action against Government will further highlight the cuts - NUT & NASUWT represent majority of 6FC teachers
• NUT will continue to resist job cuts college by college
Who doesn’t support us? (1)
Sir Michael Wilshaw:
“If anyone says to you that 'staff morale is at an all-time low', you know you are doing something right."
2nd December 2011
Who doesn’t support us? (2)
Michael Gove:
those who object to the fragmentation of the system are "happy with failure" and are"enemies of promise”
On average, 2 press notices have been issued every week this year which have demotivated and denigrated teachers – see the full list on the NUT website
Together We Can Win
We have already won concessions on pensions• Teachers over 50 are protected• A pension which would have been £10,000 will
now be £10,800 (but should have been £15,000)• Two days strike action has won £800 a year!
We can win more if we are united• NUT & NASUWT together are 85% of teachers
A Giant Step
The NUT Ballot
• Ballot papers arrive from June 25th
• Get the votes in before the end of term, even though the actual close date is in September
• The NUT pensions ballot is still valid – the new ballot is to protect pay and working conditions
• The pensions campaign continues in tandem – strike action would be on both campaigns
What are our demands?
We want negotiations and agreements covering all schools and colleges to:
• provide protection on excessive workload• limit inspections and observations • defend the current pay arrangements and• end the pay freeze
We Can Win
As a result of the pensions action, the NUT has more reps and more members
• This means more active members to help us mobilise
• Active members can visit nearby schools and help get a YES vote
There is everything to fight for!
Summer term activities
Demos in Oxford and Sheffield (aimed at Cameron and Clegg) on 14 July
Watch out for other activities!