Launching A National NEU Left

Saturday 13th March

11:00am – 1:00pm

NEU Left is a new grouping of socialists and those who consider themselves as part of the left who are also NEU members.

The NEU Left aims to build up our school union groups in order to defend and support members working conditions, promote progressive pedagogy and bring wider politics into the NEU.

The official launch is on March 13th. Please register here

TIMETABLE

11:00 – 12:00      Where Now for the NEU?

12:00 – 1:00pm   Proposal for the NEU Left (see document below)

Much has happened in the last year and NEU Left supporters have played a key role in shaping Union policy and delivering it on the ground.

The meeting on 13th March will give us an opportunity to discuss the political situation and the role the NEU Left can play in campaigning for educators, children and education.

In the document below you will see a proposal from the Steering Committee that we should become a membership organisation with a nominal membership fee. This will be discussed in the second part of the meeting.

NOMINATIONS FOR STEERING COMMITTEE

We are proposing that the meeting elects an interim Steering Committee of 12 members, 7 of whom must be female to take forward our work. (Deadline for nominations has passed)

PROPOSAL FOR NEU LEFT NATIONAL MEETING

This meeting of NEU Left supporters agrees that:

1. The NEU Left will become from today a national organisation within the NEU.

2. Any NEU member can become a supporter of the NEU Left by adding their name to our statement of principles – which they will be able to do online.

3. Supporters will get regular email updates and other communications if they choose and may attend all NEU Left meetings.

4. Supporters will also have the option of becoming a member by paying a modest fee of £5 a year, which will be used to maintain the activities of the NEU Left such as costs incurred when organizing and holding NEU Left events.

5. Members will have the additional right to supporters of voting at NEU Left meetings when such votes are taken and be able to play a full part in the democratic process and elections within the NEU Left nationally and locally.

6. This meeting also agrees to elect a national steering committee of 12 people, 7 of whom must be women, reflecting the regional and political diversity in the NEU Left.

7. The Steering Committee will be responsible for setting up and maintaining a bank account, website, social media, and producing regular bulletins. The steering committee may agree a division of responsibilities at its first meeting – such as treasurer secretary, etc.

8. The NEU Left steering committee will produce a draft constitution and rules for discussion and agreement at a first Annual General meeting of the NEU Left – to be held in the autumn term and open to all NEU Left members, and that AGM will also elect a new steering or other committee as proposed in this constitution and rules agreed at the AGM.

9. That the NEU encourages regional groups to hold meetings, alongside future national meetings and bulletins, to build the NEU left in every area- but encourages regional groups to coordinate with the national steering group to ensure local and national initiatives do not clash.

10. At this stage the NEU Left will not endorse candidates for internal NEU elections, and any change to this position will require a vote of NEU Left members at an open meeting.

It was agreed at a recent Ealing NEU meeting to communicate to all members the launch of the NEU left this Saturday.