EXECUTIVE NEWS
Date 2 April 2014 No: 199NoNo. 186 No. 185
TONY BENN (1925 – 2014)
The Executive paid tribute to Tony Benn and observed a minute’s silence in memory of Mr Benn’s long and devoted commitment to the labour movement. The General Secretary and Deputy General Secretary had been honoured to represent the Union at the funeral which had taken place earlier that day, which had been a huge and uplifting event. Tony had, of course, been a passionate supporter of comprehensive education.
BOB CROW (1961 – 2014)
At the Special Meeting held on 13 March, the Executive had recorded their condolences for the tragic death of Bob Crow and paid tribute to his tremendous contributions to his members at the RMT and the wider labour movement. The General Secretary paid special mention of Mr Crow’s personal warmth and courtesy. The General Secretary had written on behalf of the Union to Mr Crow’s partner and his daughter, a member in Essex. The Executive had observed a minute’s silence to mark Mr Crow’s passing. The Deputy General Secretary and local officers from the London Region had taken the Union’s banner and joined other mourners along the route of the funeral cortege on 24 March.
NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION – 26 MARCH
The General Secretary paid tribute to all those involved in the strike action held on 26 March and extremely well supported by members who attended marches and rallies across the country. The General Secretary reported that she had joined 11,000 members marching from the BBC in London to Central Hall, Westminster for a rally at which she spoke alongside three London teacher members, Alex Kenny, Kay Carberry (TUC), Jeremy Corbyn MP and Matt Wrack (FBU). The Deputy General Secretary had spoken in Birmingham and the President spoke to a packed rally in Bristol. Events were held across England and Wales.
Following a volte face by the BBC, at very short notice the General Secretary was re-invited to appear on the BBC4 Today Programme. The General Secretary praised the Deputy General Secretary for his appearance on Sky News when he took the opportunity to mention to presenter Eamonn Holmes that no Minster had attended any talks and the comment changed the focus of discussion Mr Holmes’ follow-on interview with David Laws where he gave him a harder grilling than predicted.
The General Secretary reported high levels of concern amongst members that they were not to be granted an additional INSET day to facilitate the new curriculum arrangements. The Union was continuing to press the Government on this issue.
‘STAND UP FOR EDUCATION’
The General Secretary reported on continuing success of the town-centre stalls and the positive parental response to the stalls. Since the last meeting there had been a successful Education Question Time in Newcastle, an excellent example of locally organised activity. Executive members were encouraged to support similar events in their regions.
LOBBYING OF MPs
A group of teachers in Corby met with their MP Andy Sawford on their Stand Up for Education stall in the town centre. They were then invited by their MP to visit him in Parliament to lobby him on their concerns. NUT members in East Riding and Hull organised a meeting with their three local MPs – Alan Johnson, Karl Turner and Diana Johnson - who listened to and responded to the concerns of teachers. Meanwhile 60 teachers from Tower Hamlets attended a meeting with their local MP Rushanara Ali who is also a member of Labour’s Shadow Education Team. NUT members in Watford met with their MP Richard Harrington, a Vice-Chair of the Conservative Party. The meeting was positive lasting well over an hour and influential in terms of his support for the issue of unqualified teachers and raising his understanding of excessive teacher workload. The MP has since written to Michael Gove raising the concerns of his constituents and teachers more generally.
EVENTS
GS reported on successful Peoples’ Assembly Delegate Conferenceheld on 15 March and attended by the President, Ex-President and Alex Kenny.
An NUT Union Learning Representatives’ Conference had been held in London on 22 March and was well attended and successful. The Year of Curriculum materials continued to be well received by members and activists alike.
The General Secretary reported that a large number of NUT banners were present on the UAF march and demonstration against racism held on 22 March.
DELEGATION TO FINLAND
The General Secretary reported on a highly successful delegation, a formal report of which would be circulated to the Executive in due course. Executive members who participated in the delegation were encouraged to take the opportunity to feed their experience from the trip to other colleagues.
WOMEN’S TUC CONFERENCE
The General Secretary reported that the NUT delegation was well received. GS reported that she was extremely pleased with the reports and impact of the delegation’s t-shirts at the event organised by Amanda Martin, modeled on the ‘stand up for education’ design but printed in the feminist colours of green, purple and white. The Union’s leaflet for the forthcoming EI Women’s Conference would feature a front cover picture of the NUT Women’s TUC delegation. The Executive were pleased to note that the NUT’s motion on childcare condemning the Government’s policies robbing children of their childhood had been selected to go forward to the TUC Congress agenda
ANNUAL CONFERENCE – AMENDMENTS
The Executive agreed the text of amendments to a variety of motions including professional unity, attacks on pay and conditions, OFSTED/ESTYN, academies and free schools.
STAFFING REVIEW
The Executive considered the proposed new staffing structure. Having given full consideration to all of the documentation before them, which included the full submission of the Unite Group, the Executive approved the staffing re-organisation proposals. The process of implementation would now proceed in accordance with the Management of Change and Redeployment Procedures which were endorsed by the Executive at their meeting on 28 February 2014.
NATIONAL DISCIPLINARY PANEL VACANCY
The Committee agreed a timetable for the election to Panel for the Yorkshire/Midlands region following the resignation of the current Panel member. Nominations would be sought by 19 May with voting papers, if required, circulated with the Teacher on 30 June for return by 21 July 2014.
FAREWELL TO RETIRING EXECUTIVE MEMBERS
The Executive passed their best wishes to the members leaving the Executive; Marilyn Harrop, Julie Lyon-Taylor, Nick Grant, John Holmes, Veronica Peppiatt and Tony Tonks and thanked them for their valuable contribution to the work of the Union during their years on the Executive. Congratulations and best wishes were recorded for Anne Swift on her election as Junior Vice-President.
BETH DAVIES – NATIONAL PRESIDENT
The Executive joined the General and Deputy General Secretary in recording their gratitude to Beth Davies for her able chairing of their meetings and tireless work representing the Union at a variety of events both at home and abroad.