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Conference recognises outstanding members

Recruitment Awards

The annual awards were once again sponsored by Endsleigh and celebrated achievement in advancing the NASUWT at local level. Wrexham Association took the best recruitment campaign category for its work to support and advise teachers facing redundancy and pay cuts at a school in the area. As a result of the campaign and the strength shown by members, the redundancy process was reviewed and no deductions were made to pay.

The best communication award was given to the West Lancashire Association for its newsletter and website which was praised by judges for their quality and range of issues covered. An inventive approach to recruitment, including the production of dedicated membership cards and promotional items earned Devon Local Association the best recruitment and retention award. Sally Burns from the Birmingham Association walked away with the best student recruitment campaign accolade and the campaign at Edge Hill University was judged the best NQT recruitment and retention campaign. Julian Price from the West Suffolk Association was named recruiter of the year for achieving a 10% rise in membership as a result of his dedicated efforts in visiting every school in the district to promote the benefits of joining the NASUWT.

Health and Safety Awards

National Executive Member Trevor Morgan was presented with the award for NASUWT Health and Safety Representative of the Year.

Mr Morgan, from the North Somerset Association, was recognised for his campaigning work on asbestos in schools and his focus on teacher wellbeing, which provided a model for the NASUWT’s national online wellbeing survey and toolkit.

Young Activist of the Year

An outstanding young member who is poised to become President of her Local Association was named Young Activist of the Year. Stacey Gray, 27, from the Cornwall Association, was presented with her award by Daphne O’Kane, wife of the late NASUWT General Secretary Eamonn O’Kane, in whose memory the award was established. Stacey was honoured for her work supporting members in her school and for her commitment to promoting the NASUWT to young teachers throughout the south west. She will become Cornwall Association President in 2012.

More details of the winners can be found at www.nasuwt.org.uk/RecruitmentAwards2011


Annual report highlights Union’s strength

2010 was a year of two halves for the NASUWT, bordered by the General Election, Ex-President Chris Lines told Conference as he moved the Annual Report.

Despite the assault on public services ushered in by the Coalition, the NASUWT continued to champion the needs of teachers and secured a number of notable successes, including preserving the pay and conditions of teachers in Jersey and a major legal victory on false allegations.

The Union has been supported in these challenging times by the strength of members, he added, pointing to the largest and most successful round of consultation conferences and NQT seminars ever organised by the NASUWT, with nearly 1,000 members coming together to support the work of the Union. This was also reflected by yet another year of membership growth, Senior Vice-President Paula Roe, seconding, told delegates, a reflection of the investment the NASUWT has made in its organising strategy. “2010 was an extremely difficult year,” Ms Roe concluded. “But the NASUWT continued to lead the profession and demonstrated its strength and resolve to continue to protect and support teachers.”

Read the full report at www.nasuwt.org.uk/AnnualConference2011


General Secretary rallies members

The NASUWT’s General Secretary issued a rallying call to members to fight the Coalition Government’s attack on education and public services, as she delivered her private address to Conference. Freedom, fairness and responsibility are the three stated themes this Government claims, Ms Keates told delegates, but all have been completely undermined by its relentless programme of attacks on state education and public services. However, the Coalition is vulnerable, Ms Keates argued, listing U-turns on forests, the NHS, sports funding and a number of other issues as signs of the Coalition’s growing vulnerability. “All this clearly demonstrates there is nothing inevitable about the roll-out of the Coalition’s policies and that targeted and organised opposition is making a difference.”

The NASUWT is facing a Government that is determined and audacious, she added, but the Union has faced major challenges before and won. “Fighting for education and public services is in our DNA. Winning is in our blood. Together we will prevail.”



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