NUT Conference agreed to ballot all members for national strike action following the Government’s announcement that they will force all schools to become academies and de-regulate all pay and conditions of service for school staff.
Whether you work in an Academy, Community or Foundation School, Free School, Trust School, or VA School, this affects all of you in a huge way.
Below is a partial list of what will no longer be decided at a national or local authority level, or even at headteacher level.
Instead it be decided by CEOs of your new group of schools (Trust, Co-Op or Academy chains).
Examples Of How This Affects all Teachers
- sick pay level
- sick pay rules
- length of school year
- length of directed hours
- length of school day
- structure of working day
- non-contact time/PPA
- class sizes
- structure of school holidays
- maternity, paternity, & adoption pay
- starting salary
- salary structure
- all pay progression rules
- chief executive salaries
- probationary arrangements
- teacher qualification
- redundancy pay
- disciplinary processes
- grievance processes
- all capability processes
The most important point is that NUT conference has voted for discontinuous strike action. This is more than a one-day protest strike in July; the intention is to also call further strikes in the Autumn. Like the Junior Doctors we aim to escalate this dispute, but first we must make the first strike a huge success.
Nonetheless; we are not alone in opposing the Government. Below is a list of some of those who are opposed & critical:
o Trade unions (We are seeking to co-ordinate with the Junior Doctors)
o Mumsnet: “government plans are despicable”
o Financial Times and The Economist
o National Governors Association
o Local Government Association
o Labour Party and Liberal Democrats Party
o Many Tory Chairs of Education (including Cameron’s own constituency)
o The Bow Group & 1922 Committee (Important Tory groups) + Tory MPs
What Must I Do Then?
In Ealing many, many more teachers strike than return their strike ballot papers. We need you to vote and to persuade your colleagues to vote YES too.
A) Organise a School Union meeting and invite us in to speak to everyone. We will come with lunch or afternoon tea. You don’t have to be a school rep to invite us in.
B) Become a ‘Ballot Volunteer’. We need teams of teachers in every school urging everyone to vote. Let me know and I will give you briefing papers and support.
C) Volunteer to help phone other teachers in schools with no rep, please go to: http://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/volunteersballot
D) Make sure we have your correct contact details. If you do not receive ‘The Teacher’ magazine at home neither will you receive your ballot paper. So please call 020 7380 6366 or email membership@nut.org.uk quoting your NUT membership number.
E) Bring colleagues to the Public Rally on May 19th with Alan Gibbons -Award winning children’s author. More details soon.