Page 6 

Upfront

Make school sport matter

The School Sports Matters competition, sponsored by the NUT, Aviva and the Daily Telegraph, is open for entries. In 2011, the NUT-sponsored State School of the Year category was won by Whitchurch High School in Cardiff. It was featured in the The Teacher January/February 2012 issue.

If your school is making a difference through sport, have a go at entering this award or one of the other categories. At the time of going to press the closing date for nominations had not been announced. Keep an eye on www.teachers.org.uk for this and details on how to apply.

Defending our colleagues in Colombia

The NUT, ATL, NASUWT and UCU have written to Colombian President Santos to protest against the treatment of trade union colleagues in Colombia. The Santos government is trying to bring in education reforms, including privatising universities and worsening teachers’ working conditions.

There have been widespread public demonstrations where Colombian riot police have used tear gas, rubber bullets and pipe bombs against protestors.

The unions’ letter highlighted how Colombian teacher trade unionists continue to be subjected to death threats and displacement from their homes and workplaces. It expressed alarm at the number of assassinations, with at least 12 murders in 2011.

For further information visit www.justiceforcolombia.org

Supporting fair pensions for all

The NUT has sent messages of solidarity and support to the general secretaries of Unite, GMB and Usdaw, whose members are taking action in opposition to Unilever’s withdrawal of its final salary pension scheme.

Industrial action took place at 12 Unilever sites in January. NUT Gloucester Association members, pictured above, supported the Gloucester workforce.

LGBT resources

February was Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender history month, sponsored by the NUT. Events across the country included exhibitions and lectures. For free teaching resources, available all year, visit www.lgbthistorymonth.org.uk.