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NEWS Unions sound battle cry


In the next two weeks, the three major teaching unions will meet for their annual conferences. On this week’s front page, SecEd focuses on the threat of industrial action over the pension cuts. Here we look at some of the other motions being debated during the events, some of which – if passed – could also see the threat of strikes National pay and conditions


As well as the pensions battle, the ongoing fight to protect the national frameworks of pay and conditions is high on the agenda for the teaching unions. At NASUWT’s conference in


Glasgow from April 22 to 25, a set motion condemns the “erosion and disapplication” of the national frame- works in England and Wales, which it says are part of the “marketisation agenda” being pursued by the coali- tion government. It also slams the scrapping of the pay and conditions framework for support staff. The motion references the whole


of the UK and urges the union to “resist erosion” in the provisions of the national terms and conditions of service in Scotland and Northern Ireland. It also calls for members to back


the union to “take appropriate action in schools and colleges and across local authorities and library boards where there is a failure to imple- ment the statutory entitlements of national pay and conditions of serv- ice provisions.” It backs “using all appropriate means” to protect and defend the national frameworks. A motion at the National Union


of Teachers (NUT) annual confer- ence, taking place in Harrogate from April 22 to 26, also tack- les pay and conditions, referenc- ing the Department for Education’s Business Plan, which has asked the School Teachers’ Review Body to make recommendations on “greater freedoms and flexibilities” for pay. The motion states: “Conference


believes that the introduction of greater ‘flexibility’, regional pay, or the ability for schools to opt out of national pay and conditions would lead to large-scale pay cuts within teaching.” It calls for the union to take “all appropriate action, up to and including strike action, to defend national pay and conditions”.


Academies and free schools


The union conference season is set to see strong attacks on the government’s rapid expansion of the academies programme, including the launch of the free schools scheme. A motion at the Association


of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL), which meets in Liverpool from April 18 to 20, calls for the union to offi- cially “reject” the policy that poten- tially all schools and educational establishments in England with pupils of school age may become academies and backs members to potentially take industrial action if their school plans to convert. The ATL conference, enti-


tled “The Disappearance of State Education”, will debate the motion which states: “Conference believes that everything possible should be done to build support among parents, teachers, support staff and governors for the maintenance of a democratically accountable local authority-based state education sys- tem and opposition to privatisation.” Meanwhile, at NASUWT, a


motion before members “condemns” the Academies Act, which was rushed through Parliament last year. It states that the academies


and free schools programme is an “ideologically driven attempt to dismantle state education and com- promises the values and ethos of public service”. It says that the programme is


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Under pressure? A scene from the NASUWT annual conference last year. This Easter’s teaching union conferences are set to see huge presssure put on education minister Michael Gove, not least over pay and conditions and academy schools


also an “unacceptable burden on the public purse” and “erodes the pay, working conditions and status of the school workforce”. The union has already carried out


strike action in a number of schools pursuing academy status and the motion states: “Conference supports the national executive in pursuing appropriate industrial action across all schools in any local authority which colludes in the establishment of academies or free schools.” At NUT, members will be urged


to continue the union’s opposition of “all academies and free schools”. A motion states that free schools threaten other local schools and could force possible closures. It calls for the union to continue


to encourage and support its mem- bers to take strike action “where pos- sible with other unions” against pro- posals to convert to academy status. Elsewhere, the unions are also


worried about plans to allow free schools to employ teachers who do not hold qualified teacher status. At ATL, a motion on the sub-


ject of teacher training and quali- fication, reads: “Conference also notes with grave concern the sec- retary of state’s confirmation that free schools will not be required to employ teachers who hold teaching qualifications.” It calls for the union to lobby for


the retention of regulations which allow the employment of unquali- fied teachers only when attempts to employ qualified teachers fail.


Teacher training


Education minister Michael Gove’s idea for a national network of teaching schools, where new recruits will learn on the job, and his assertion that teaching is a “craft” rather than a profession has raised concerns about the future of training. At NASUWT, a motion asserts


that “high quality initial teacher training (ITT) is a critical element in the development of a highly pro- fessional teacher workforce”.


It states: “Conference affirms


that the national executive should oppose any attempt to undermine the quality of ITT that could emerge from creating routes into the profes- sion based on the assertion that the necessary skills and expertise can be obtained solely through practical experience in the workplace or by the introduction of arbitrarily restric- tive qualification criteria for access- ing state funding for training.” Meanwhile, at ATL, one of the


first motions for debate also raises concerns about teaching schools, and the government’s plans to only fund teacher training places for graduates with a 2:2 degree or higher. The motion states that “it is not the class of the degree that makes a good teacher but the class of the person”. It adds: “Further, conference


disagrees with the government that fast-track teacher training conduct- ed in schools on a one-year basis is the answer to teacher shortage or is the best preparation for the pro- fession.” The motion calls on the union to lobby government to “look again” at the entry qualifications for those wishing to be a teacher, since “academic excellence and first class honours degrees are no guarantee of anyone’s ability to teach”.


BSF


The axing of the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme has raised concerns among the unions about the ongoing dilapidation of some school buildings and fears of health and safety problems. At ATL, a motion on the issue


states: “The termination of the BSF programme means that many of our school buildings remain in a very poor and sometimes dangerous condition.” It calls for the lobbying of government for “assurances that funding will be made to provide all pupils with an environment condu- cive to learning”. Meanwhile, at NASUWT, a


motion raises concerns about the axing of BSF, reduction of capital


expenditure on schools in England by 60 per cent, and the 40 per cent cut to expenditure on current build- ing projects. It also criticises delays in upgrading the schools estate in Northern Ireland and raises fears about the Welsh Assembly’s warn- ings that the 21st Century Schools Programme “will not have the funds to meet expectations”. It calls for the union to mount


a campaign to raise public aware- ness of the state of some school buildings and the impact of this on students’ health, welfare and educa- tion, as well as take “appropriate action, including industrial action, to protect the health, safety and welfare of members”.


Sickness absence


At NASUWT, members will debate a motion raising concerns that some local authorities, schools and colleges are using sickness absence policies as “punitive management tools”. A motion tabled by the union’s


executive committee contends that some teachers are being expected to attend meetings while on sick leave and asked to phone into the school on a regular basis. The motion states: “Conference is extremely concerned that, in some cases, man- agers are harassing teachers to go back to work before they are fit. Conference asserts that these prob- lems will escalate in a deregulated education system.” It calls for members to inform


the union about the use of “punitive sickness absence policies with a view to challenging and removing them”.


Workload/stress


More should be done to help teachers suffering from stress with an NUT motion calling for risk- assessments to be more consistently undertaken by schools. The union says that more train-


ing is needed for school leaders to ensure risk-assessments are carried out and a motion calls for the union


to work with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to urge employers to “prioritise” risk-assessments. The motion states: “Conference


is aware that stress is the primary cause of teachers leaving the profes- sion and is probably the most signifi- cant cause of teacher absence from work. Stress at work is known to lead to both mental and physical illness. Teaching is identified by the HSE as the most stressful occupation but, in spite of this, little is done by many teacher employers to tackle stress. “Conference notes that, follow-


ing a letter to all headteachers in Nottingham, less than one per cent of schools were able to provide the union with a stress risk-assessment. Over two-thirds of headteachers who replied wanted training to help them carry out a stress risk-assess- ment. It is clear that some teachers’ employers are not ensuring that schools carry out proper stress risk- assessment; nor are they provid- ing the necessary training to ensure school leaders have the skill to fulfil this statutory duty.”


EMA


The government will face continued opposition to its decision to axe the Educational Maintenance Allowance (EMA) if a motion at the ATL conference is passed. In it, the abolition of the £560 million EMA – a £10 to £30 weekly payment given to disadvantaged students to support them in further education – is “deplored” and the replacement of it with a £180 million bursary and discretionary fund is dismissed. It states: “Conference calls on the executive committee to continue to campaign for a system of student support which encourages participation in education by disadvantaged groups.”


Learning walks


The use of “learning walks” or unannounced drop-ins to classrooms by senior staff will once again be challenged by the teaching unions. A motion at NUT notes what


it calls a “dramatic increase” in incidents, which often take place in addition to performance manage- ment observations. It says they can be used as a “management tool to intimidate and harass teachers”. The motion calls for the union to


update its guidance to teachers on this issue and to offer “support for industrial action ballots to members in schools who are being subjected to unannounced drop-ins and learn- ing walks”. Meanwhile, at NASUWT, a


motion “deplores” the “excessive use” of observation of teachers in many schools and colleges as a monitoring tool. It also slams the use of those


without qualified teacher status to carry out observations, including, it adds, pupils. The motions reads: “Conference is concerned about the increased workload and stress generated by multiple observa- tions, many of which occur without notice.” If approved, the motion will see


the union campaign for a proto- col that includes a limit on the total number of observations for an individual teacher, excluding NQTs and those subject to capability pro- cedures.


Examinations


The “escalating” fees charged by awarding bodies for public examinations will come under scrutiny at ATL. A motion before the union’s members will state that the exams are now “a competitive business”. It will call on the union to demand a government investigation into the level of exam entry fees, and for the development of a “sustainable, ethical and affordable national framework of examination fees”. Ultimately, the motion, if approved, will see the union campaigning for a “not-for- profit” examination system.


Supply teachers


A motion at NUT is asking for a “concerted effort to protect the livelihood and security” of supply teachers. It says that teaching assistants are increasingly being used as supply teachers, while others are not being paid under the School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document and are having to enter individual negotiations or are being paid less than an “appropriate” rate. It states that there is an urgent


need to address the issue of “wide- spread discrimination against supply teachers”, adding: “The widespread discrimination is a result of many supply teachers now being forced to work for agencies, resulting in them losing rights to pension contri- butions, professional development, and access to direct employment.”


Further information


All motions at union conferences are tabled, debated and then voted on by the unions’ members. Not all motions will necessarily be passed and some will be passed with amendments. The annual conference of the


National Association of Head Teachers also takes place from April 29 in Brighton, but motions from this event had not been pub- lished as SecEd went to press and as such are not listed. Full reports from all the union


events will be published in SecEd in early May.


SecEd • April 14 2011


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