The full executive met on 24th MarchDeputy General Secretary Kevin Courtney gave a detailed update on the Pensions Campaign. He had attended two meetings with Government ministers, alongside Chris Keates of the NASUWT representing the teachers’ unions.
Kevin drew attention to the debate about the move from RPI to CPI inflation, and especially the recent report from the Royal Statistical Society which demonstrates that inflation actually affects pensioners MORE- as a higher proportion of their income is spent on food and fuel, two items that have seen significant cost increases. There is no indication that Government is prepared to reconsider this decision.
The next meeting with Government is likely to focus on the Hutton Report. While the government has not yet endorsed all of the recommendations in Hutton, Kevin pointed out George Osborne’s comment in the budget that they did not intend to “cherry pick”
There is also smoke and mirrors going on with the valuation of the public sector schemes- which do not have a distinct pension fund (contributions go straight to the Treasury) particularly around the “discount rate” – in order to continue asserting that public sector pensions are not affordable. The budget not only confirmed that the Government will increase the State Pension Age to 68, but George Osborne proposed an automatic mechanism for further increases as longevity rises. Hutton recommends that our teachers pensions are set at the same retirement age: will this mean that future teachers will be in the classroom until 70 ?
Kevin emphasised the need to continue with the Pensions Roadshows, and other ways of explaining the case to our members. He commended the (horrifying) Pensions Calculator on the NUT Website, that shows the cost of the proposed pension changes.
General Secretary Christine Blower reported that she had been to a conference in the USA with Ministers and Union leaders from “high performing” countries. Michael Gove was in attendance, although he absented himself from the final session- he seemed keen to use the trip to go and see the KIP schools in action, and promote these as a model fro Free Schools in the UK !
Christine had been able to talk about the NUT’s role as a Professional Association in tandem with our traditional Trade Union role. Given the attacks on the American teachers unions in certain states, it was noted that the highest educationally performing states of the US were those where teachers have collective bargaining rights (as opposed to the so-called Right to Work states) The highest performing state is Massachusetts, where we have strongly established links with the Massachusetts Teachers Association.
The Academy programme continues to steamroller ahead, with many schools pushing for the fast-track conversion status. The Free School programme appears much more of a patchy trickle, and many of the business plans have not been accepted by the Department for Education, and even those that have been approved were required to make significant changes to the initial plans. Christine welcomed the work of the Parents Alliance for Community Schools- which had taken a full page advert in Hammersmith and Fulham’s Council’s own in-house newspaper (despite the council's policy seemingly being diametrically opposite !)
Christine and a delegation had met with Andy Burnham, the new Labour education spokesman. She welcomed his strong support for comprehensive schools: and useful discussions were also had about Early Years provision, Qualified Teacher Status, and the threat of charges for activities in schools. At the recent ASCL Conference, Andy had spoken strongly against the imposition of the English Baccalaureate and stated his commitment to a broadly based curriculum. Christine pointed out the parallel with the Tory NHS proposals which would allow the concept of “any willing provider”. 
The meeting was reminded about the March for the Alternative that Saturday, and encouraged to look for the NUT’s giant inflatable scissors ! Christine will be speaking in Hyde Park at about 3.10pm.
