Executive Report: December 2011

The full Executive met on 8th December, at Stoke Rochford Hall.

Amanda Martin, Beth Davies, Anne Lemon and Heather McKenzie were elected to represent the Union at the Women's TUC. The meeting also agreed to nominate vice-President Marilyn Harrop to replace Neil Foden on the board of Stoke Rochford Hall.

General Secretary, Christine Blower reported.

On the 19th November, we had a strong NUT presence at Caught in the Act: a conference against privatisation, alongside organisations such as the Campaign for State Education. Comprehensive Future, Information for School and College Governors, and the Anti-Academies Alliance.

The NUT Leadership Convention at Hamilton House was also very well attended and received.

Christine congratulated the executive on their contributions to the events on the day of Action on 30th November. She has undertaken a large number of school meetings, and found members’ resolve was strong.

After the infamous Jeremy Clarkson comments on the BBC's One Show, Christine and the General Secretaries of a number of other Unions had received written death threats. These, of course, have been reported to the Police, but a further complaint has been made to the BBC pointing out this may well be a direct result of the comments made on that programme.

Christine congratulated the winners of the Steve Sinnott Young Campaigner awards- although this year’s were from Scotland, so wouldn’t have been taught by NUT members (congratulations to our EIS colleagues, then !)

Jerry Glazier, Chair of the Action Committee, reported on the dispute at Langdon School, East Ham, where members have taken strike action over management practices and workload issues. The school has been circumventing the Agency laws by using Supply Agencies to source casual (scab) labour, and then engaging those supply teachers on direct contracts. As this is an LEA school and these contracts are, on paper, with the Local Authority, Newham NUT’s general meeting voted 90-0 in favour of balloting for a Borough wide dispute. Recent informal talks with the Authority may have led to some progress, and members in the school will be consulted this week. If there is no progress, members are going to be taking three days of strike action next week.

Deputy General Secretary, Kevin Courtney reported on the negotiations around the pension scheme:

The extension of a pay freeze (two more years of freeze, followed by two years of 1% ) will mean that teachers salaries will fall significantly in real terms, even before any hit from pension contribution increases. Government plans to get rid of STPCD in next two years and replace with local agreements, and the proposals to end or water down TUPE add to the threats faced by teachers. This is against a background of the economic situation with tax credits reduced, and 300,000 more public sector jobs lost.

David Cameron’s ignorant and ill-informed attack on trade union facility time in Parliament last week also spelt out a clear threat to our lay officers and their ability to represent and support members in difficulty.

The TUC estimates around 500,000 people took part in the various demonstrations on 30th November.Thousands in London, Birmingham and Brighton, and the biggest ever demonstration in Horsham (350, but outside Francis Maude’s office !)

The polls reflecting public opinion on the campaign are mixed, although it is pleasing that 2/3 of women support the strikes, as do 80% of young people. November 30th was the biggest ever strike by women trade unionists in history.

Talks are ongoing with Ministers and the Civil Service, and it is important that the Teachers' side stays united, and that the Government are not allowed to rush us. We are clear that we are willing to meet any time, anywhere and negotiate in detail, but we remain willing and ready to take further action if there is no progress.

The Government is still refusing to carry out a revaluation- the latest line is that to do so would be “too expensive”. Kevin pointed out that Government have all the data to carry this out already, so this is a spurious argument.

Government will also not re-open the issue of the move from RPI to CPI inflation (currently hitting existing as well as future pensioners) . The NUT and partners in the challenge to this ruling (turned down in last month’s judgment) have been granted leave to appeal , on the grounds that there was a dissenting judge on one point. (The NASUWT, PCS etc. challenge was on slightly different points of law- they have not been granted leave to appeal on their points, but may go to court to seek that.)

Kevin reminded us that the campaign is not just about strike action- in particular that it is the threat of strikes backed up by campaigning and other action that is what presses employers into negotiation. The lobbying, campaigning, awareness raising etc. is vital. Also, there is a suggestion that the TUC may call a further national demonstration.

We were asked to send out advice to members about the NASUWT's work-to-rule. The NUT has not balloted on this form of action, but as always members will be expected to not pick up any work laid down by NASUWT colleagues in this dispute.

Helen Andrews, Chair of the Salaries committee presented a proposal to organise a ballot of Sixth Form College staff over their pay and the Government's funding. This was agreed.

The Government is proposing that the post-16 teaching qualification could be formally recognised for teaching in schools. It was agreed that we would add this to the approved qualifications for eligibility for NUT membership, if this takes place.

There was a motion adding a campaigning point that we should seek to build dialogue with the Labour Party on pensions policy. The NUT is not affiliated to any political party, and does not endorse any, but we seek to influence policy making by all organisations. It was noted that while support for our case has been varied from Labour front-benchers, there was solid and visible support on the 30th November by grassroots Labour Party members. I asked if the union could produce model text for motions to local Labour Party branches, and also for other organisations such as Trades Councils.

Internationalising it...

The NUT's International Newsletter, Global Matters, is now available online. This includes information and links to a variety of teaching resources and international campaigs, including:-

Fair's Fair - Playfair 2012: Interactive teaching resources have been produced to coincide with the 2012 Olympics. The cross-curriculum resources, entitled ‘Fair's Fair - Life and Rights in the Global Sports Industry', have been produced as part of the TUC Playfair 2012 project in collaboration with the NUT, ATL, NASUWT and Anti-Slavery International, along with a group of practising teachers.

Global Dimension's relaunched website, which provides a library of global teaching resources. Visit for a free activity kit, an on-line international calendar and to join the Think Global Schools Network

NUT Supports the Robin Hood Tax: The Union has joined the coalition supporting the Robin Hood Tax. The introduction of a small tax on the financial sector would help to fight poverty. You can support the campaign and raise awareness by clicking here

RPI to CPI Challenge fails in Court- right to appeal granted

A high court challenge to the Government’s decision to change the way existing and future pension increases are calculated from RPI inflation to the lower CPI calculation has failed at its first stage.

The NUT joined a raft of other unions in mounting the challenge, claiming that the accrued benefits existing pensioners had built up had been on the basis of the RPI calculation that had previously been used. The NUT challenge was alongside Prospect, GMB, First Division Association, Civil Service Pensioners Alliance, Association of Principal Fire Officers, National Federation of Occupational Pensioners, National Association of Retired Police Officers and the Police Federation. A similar action was brought by the Fire Brigades' Union, NASUWT, Prison Officers Association, Public and Commercial Services union.

Three of the four points of law that were challenged were rejected unanimously by the judges. A fourth was rejected by a 2-1 margin. The Union has been granted the right to appeal.

The BBC reported that: "If someone retired on an annual pension of £10,000 a year - a typical figure for a teacher - then over 20 years the uprating of their pensions by 2% (the Bankof England's CPI target) would see them accrue total pension payments of £245,500.
If a 3.4% RPI figure was used instead - because this would be 1.4 percentage points higher - the pensioner in question would receive £284,923. That's a difference of £39,423 over 20 years.”

NUT General Secretary, Christine Blower commented that: "The NUT took part in this action because the Government’s decision was simply wrong. Cutting pensions to save money at pensioners’ expense is disgraceful and immoral. All three judges agreed that a substantial motivation for the switch to CPI was deficit reduction. It is disappointing that only one judge felt able to say this was wrong. It’s also disappointing that the arguments advanced by the other unions involved were treated so dismissively.
The NUT has obtained permission to appeal to the Court of Appeal. "In the meantime, the Government has deliberately avoided saying whether public sector pensions will be increased even by CPI in 2012. We call on George Osborne to make his position clear immediately and tell pensioners that he is not going to impose even bigger cuts next year.”