Classroom Teacher

Gove the popular

2012-01-27T18:16:00.001Z

This will come as a bit of a shock to teachers, or indeed to anyone
who has seen or heard Michael Gove. Michael Gove is the most popular
government minister.

However the people he is popular with are people with money rather
than, for example. pensioners.

Education Minister Michael Gove has received more donations into his
private office since the election than any other cabinet minister
including the Prime Minister and the Chancellor.

He has received £35,500 for his private office and £61,279 at
constituency level.

His constituency has received a staggering 284,416 pounds and 40p
since he became MP. We don't know who gave him the 40p. We do know
that former Lehman Brothers' banker Jeremy Isaacs donated £3,000 to
Gove's office. Isaacs has given £100,000 to the Central Party fund in
the past but this was the first time he is registered as funding an
MP's private office.

Money management firm Christofferson Robb & Company LLP gave £5,000.

Electoral Commission records show Gove started registering his private
office donations in 2009. Since then around three quarters of his
private office donations have come from individuals with business
interests in The City.
The biggest single donation to Gove's private office was £150,000
donated in 2009 by Martin Calderbank of private equity firm Stirling
Capital Partners.

So obviously Gove has friends in high places. You can't call this
perfectly legal activity "corruption". That would be like saying the
whole capitalist system is corrupt.

And we wouldn't want anybody to think that :)

Pensions Campaign Update from the NUT Executive

2012-01-27T00:13:00.001Z

The NUT Executive met again on January 26 and agreed the following recommendations for the ongoing pensions campaign:

1. Christine Blower and Kevin Courtney will continue to work to convene the joint meeting of unions that have not signed up to heads of agreement.
We are not alone! Far from it. Christine and Kevin gave an encouraging report from a meeting convened by the NUT that had brought together a sizeable number of different union leaders to discuss a joint campaign.
The meeting shows that, after the setback of some other unions signing the totally inadequate ‘Heads of Agreement’ deal, a significant group of unions is still standing firm. Unions will meet again next week to look at joint plans in more detail.

2. Christine and Kevin will press the case at the meeting with the other unions for a joint further day of action in March, before the contributions increase, as part of an on-going campaign involving further action, and other activities.
Motions from schools and Associations, including many from London, had been sent in to the Union in support of further action - action that must be taken if we are going to persuade this Government to back-off from making teachers work to 68 and pay 50% more in pensions contributions. The Executive agrees - but, while understanding the urgency in providing a clear plan of action - also recognises that we have to try and reach agreement with other unions before any firm date is ‘named’ as the next suggested strike day.
March 1 had been proposed by the UCU, but I understand that other unions felt that a slightly later date was needed. The NUT will be firmly calling on unions to agree on a definite strike day in March - but not as a one-off action. We also want to discuss the further joint action that will need to follow.

3. A special National Executive will be called for February 9th to consider the results of that joint union meeting.
The Executive will be recalled to make sure that there is no unnecessary delay in preparing for further action.
Hopefully, the joint discussions will have arrived at firm conclusions to put to other Union Executives,as well as ours, so we can follow a common strategy.

4. Any outcome from Feb 9th Executive to go forward with action should be accompanied by home mailings, emails, reps news etc. arguing the case for the action including materials relating to the Government/Ofsted assault on teachers since January and the attacks in the Autumn statement.
Some members have already indicated their support for further action but we want to make sure that every NUT member understands why we cannot accept the ‘Heads of Agreement’ and why we need their support for the proposed plan of action
If we retreat on pensions, then we will give the Government confidence to press ahead with all their other attacks - a continued pay freeze, endless observations, longer hours … plus the threat of fast-track sackings if they decide you don’t meet their imposed standards.
It won’t just be ‘pay more, retire older and get less’, it will be ‘pay more and get a LOT less’, when teachers are forced by the stress and relentless pressure to retire long before they reach their full pensions age.
Alongside the campaign against ‘pensions robbery’, Executive members also discussed how best to fight Gove’s ‘bullies charter’ and its threat to unfairly force teachers through accelerated capability procedures. We hope we can get unions to agree an alternative policy that we can then propose to Local Authorities and Governors - backed up with action if necessary.

5. All affected members will be consulted on and urged to support any proposed action, once it is clear which other unions intend to be involved.
The Executive knows that many of the most active union members understand the issues, know what’s at stake, and are ready for further strike action. However, particularly now some unions have stepped back from the struggle, at least for now, the Executive believes we need to make absolutely sure that the next NUT action has widespread backing across the whole Union. That’s why we agreed to carry out some kind of consultative survey of members to indicate their endorsement of the union’s proposed action.
The exact details of the survey were left for further discussion, but it certainly doesn’t need to be another full ballot sent to home addresses. Our legal ballot for discontinuous action remains in force. This would be solely an internal Union survey to gauge - and to build - support for our plan of strike action.
As I said when I spoke in the debate, of course this kind of survey is not without risk. However, proceeding without this consultation presents an even greater risk - that we might not have correctly prepared the support for action across the whole Union.
So everyone who supports action - from the Executive right down to members in schools - would need to use this survey to get the message out to their colleagues, to union meetings, and to neighbouring schools, that we all need to continue, and extend, the fight to stop this pensions robbery.

6. The Divisional Secretaries meeting on Feb 2nd will be consulted as to readiness for action and encouraged to continue building the campaign, including through school meetings, street stalls and lobbies of MPs. A draft plan of action will be devised for consultation with the meeting. This would include one day of national action in March and a plan of what a possible strategy of further action could look like.
NUT Local Division Secretaries - who are the key officers and local organisers in the union - are being called together for a special meeting next week.
They can then have their say about what our campaign strategy and timetable should be, what the mood for action is in their area, and discuss how we go out to build action. If you have an opinion, make sure to tell your NUT Secretary before they come to next week’s meeting!

7. The union seeks to make common publicity with other teacher unions in particular around age of retirement and increased contributions and by placing a petition on the Government web-site.
As well as using the key weapon of strike action, we need to get our message out to the public about the damage these proposals will cause to both teachers and education - and right across our public services.
Some unions are keen on using a petition as a way to gather publicity - and we are obviously happy to do so.

8. The NUT will press the case for TUC support for action by unions that have not ‘signed up’ at the Public Sector Liaison Group on Feb 6th – and keep working to get other unions back to the campaign.
UNISON, GMB and ATL may have signed-up for now - but we hope our campaign - and the real facts about the ‘Agreement’ - will persuade their members to call for their unions to rejoin the fight for a better deal.
At a recent regional TUC meeting, UNISON officials said they would still be giving support to unions like the NUT who were continuing with action. We are calling for that to be the clear official position of the national TUC.

Martin Powell-Davies

ATL statement misleads teachers about their pensions 'agreement'

2012-01-19T15:46:00.002Z

In June, and again in November, the ATL stepped forward and took action on pensions – raising their standing across the trade union movement. So it’s a real disappointment to see them now put out a statement justifying their acceptance of the Government’s ‘Heads of Agreement’ which, in my opinion, deliberately misleads its members about what the ‘deal’ really means for teachers.

The ATL presentation http://www.atl.org.uk/pensions/pensions-consultation/new-tps-statement.asp fails to explain that the ‘Heads of Agreement’ made absolutely clear that the overall 'cost-ceiling' was not going to increase - so that there was no more money on offer. Therefore, in order to get the better accrual rate of 1/57, proclaimed as a victory by the ATL, something else had to be cut - and that's exactly what happened.

Career-averages have to be linked to some kind of indexation to bring past salaries in line with today’s prices - and that's where the ATL signed-up to a worsening of the scheme.

In November, the Government were proposing the link was with average earnings. Now they have cut that to CPI + 1.6%. In other words, the slightly improved accrual rate of 1/57 (i.e a bigger amount set aside each year to improve pension payouts) was paid for by a worse indexation rate (reducing the indexation of past earnings so cutting pension payouts).

The ATL statement deceptively states that the benefits of the ‘deal’ include “An accrual rate of 1/57ths, rather than the current 1/80ths for who joined the TPS before 2007 and 1/60ths for those who joined after 2007”. But their pensions experts must know that you can't simply compare accrual rates in a final-salary scheme to a career-average CARE scheme.

Because of the way that career-average schemes work, CARE schemes will mean a much smaller pension unless the new ‘accrual rate’ is considerably better than the 1/60 rate that applies in the existing final-salary scheme for new entrants (for example, the Nuvos career-average scheme negotiated in 2006 for the civil service has a much better rate of 1/43).

The 1/57 accrual rate on a career-average scheme with this rate of indexation means nearly all teachers will get LESS PENSION. We will also all PAY MORE and, for most teachers, RETIRE OLDER too. So how can the ATL present this as acceptable?

Regrettably, their case studies showing the ‘benefits’ of the scheme they have signed-up to illustrate the pensions that a teacher would get at 65. This is mimicking the distortions that the Government came out with in November. As we explained then, of course working on past 60 improves the payout of even a poorer pensions scheme – because you’ve had to put five more years of contributions into it!

Most teachers will be forced to retire long before they reach 68 – particularly if Gove gets away with piling even greater pressures on teachers through his latest threats of fast-track sackings and longer working days. That will be at the cost of a hefty cut to their pension through an actuarial reduction. No doubt the Treasury has already worked out how much more it will save as a result.

The NUT Pensions calculator http://www.teachers.org.uk/node/12872 shows the real losses under the ‘Heads of Agreement’ Scheme. For me, it’s a £33 pay cut in April, just when our Child Benefit is going too, rising to a £108 monthly pay cut in April 2014. Even with some transitional protection, I’d lose £400 a year in pension if I retire at 60 and £87,000 in total from my pension over my retirement. For young teachers, it will be a lot, lot worse.

The NUT is honestly presenting the facts to its members. Yes, we know that our action won some concessions - with the Government conceding in early November that the oldest teachers would still be able to retire at their existing pension age. But, this is nowhere near enough.

The ATL agreed it was an inadequate concession when they took action with us on November 30. In fact, as Osborne then announced that he was accelerating the raising of the State Pension Age to 67 and 68, things have got worse, not better.

So the ATL should stop trying to spin the figures and admit that they have signed-up to a deal that means teachers will PAY MORE, GET LESS, and RETIRE OLDER.

Martin Powell-Davies

Appeal for support against dismissal of Pat Markey

2012-01-19T09:05:00.002Z

Pat Markey, Northampton NUT Secretary, and union rep at Duston School, was today found guilty of gross misconduct and summarily dismissed. This follows a disciplinary hearing held at the school on Thursday, lasting several hours, at which the panel was unable to reach a decision.

Allegations against Pat arose from the withdrawal of his one day facility time last summer. The head decided that when the school became an academy it would no longer be bound by the County Council's Facilities Agreement with recognised unions such as the NUT. This was in spite of the fact that the local authority would have continued to fund it at no cost to the school.

The NUT and Trades Council wrote to the head asking her to reconsider, but she declined to do so. Consequently, local trade unionists and others staged two peaceful protests outside the school. A third protest was organised by Northampton Trades Union Council on 14^th June. Pat was not present at that meeting, nor at any of the protests. On 15th July 2011, two days after the last protest, he was suspended pending an investigation leading to a disciplinary hearing.

The hearing was not convened until December, when it was postponed until the 12th January. In the meantime, NUT members at the school voted to take strike action in Pat's defence. Unfortunately, the ballot was "timed out," and a new indicative ballot is now in progress.

A campaign has been initiated to bring pressure on the school to reinstate Pat. Please stand by for details of action you can take. An online petition has been set up (see below), and we urge you all to sign it, and to encourage others to do so. We shall also take the campaign and the petition out into the wider community of Duston, Northampton and also nationally.

Important issues are at stake - the defence of union facilities time, the unfair dismissal of a union representative carrying out his legitimate duties on behalf of his members, and the implications for employees in academy schools. Please throw your weight behind this campaign. "An injury to one is an injury to all."

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/re-instate-pat/

John Buckell, Northampton NUT

Stop Forced Academies - demonstrate on Jan 28

2012-01-19T08:26:00.006Z

SAVE OUR COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
SAY NO TO PRIVATISATION

MARCH TO HARINGEY CIVIC CENTRE
Saturday 28th January 2012 12pm
Assemble at Keston Road N15
(Next to Downhills School)

Six hundred parents, teachers, governors and other local residents were at a meeting at Downhills primary school in Haringey, north London, to build the campaign to stop the school from becoming a 'forced academy'. The meeting had been called by the Haringey Anti Academies Alliance and the NUT teachers union.

David Lammy, Labour MP for Tottenham and a former student of the school, said: "There are 2,500 schools around the country, including 19 in Gove's own Surrey constituency, which are 'performing' worse than Downhills. Why has this school been picked to become an academy, along with three other primary schools in the borough?"

NUT general secretary Christine Blower spoke about the need to raise standards, not by forcing community schools to become academies, but by closer collaboration between schools, local authorities and the communities that they serve. Fiona Millar, from the Local Schools Network, noted that forced academies flies in the face of the coalition government's 'big society' rhetoric. The community school has the backing of parents, governors and staff. The government wants to take it out of local authority control and hand it to a private organisation.

"Standards have improved in some academies. But in many cases that has been because the admissions policies were changed to keep out students from poorer backgrounds," said Fiona.

Alasdair Smith, from the Anti Academies Alliance, received rapturous applause when he highlighted the difference between his campaign and the Labour Party's: he was against academies on any basis - 'forced' or otherwise. "We should be under no illusion. Gove wants many, many more schools to become academies. Education companies are lining up to take over 1000 schools at a time, in order get their hands on the government funded academies."

Although Lammy called for continued support for the campaign, he also said that Gove should pick on other schools which have worse results than Downhills!

Teaching and learning improves when it is properly resourced. Smaller class sizes would have a massive impact on the effectiveness of classroom teachers.

There is no 'level playing field' in education. There has always been a two-tier system, since independent schools have been allowed to coexist with state schools.
If Gove's academies programme continues, it will create a base for the wholesale privatisation of state education.

The Downhills primary campaign has called a demonstration through Haringey on Saturday 28 January to build further support to stop forced academies.

Visit: www.hcaa.org.uk

Lewisham NUT votes for further strike action

2012-01-18T12:45:00.000Z

30 members at Monday's Lewisham NUT General meeting voted unanimously to support the Union's opposition to the Heads of Agreement and for further strike action on pensions.

I used case studies from the newly revised NUT pensions calculator - now updated to show the affect of the Heads of Agreement (http://www.teachers.org.uk/node/12872) to explain that the 'deal' was no better than what we had all taken united action against in November. It still meant pay more, get less and, for all but the oldest teachers, retire older.

After a full and considered discussion, the meeting voted for the motion (posted in the previous blog post) calling on the National Executive to draw up plans for further strike action. Reps also agreed to take that motion back to their schools and to try and get it discussed - and hopefully agreed - in as many schools as possible.

Reps also agreed to urge members to complete the latest NUT survey https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/BJ9T3R7 asking members' views on the Union's opposition to the Government's shoddy 'deal'.

There was anger expressed at UNISON in particular, and regret that the ATL and NAHT had signed as well. However, there was a determination that we had to fight on and that we could still build significant action by bringing the remaining unions together.

There was a good discussion about what and when that action should be, with the strengths and weaknesses of a work-to-rule, half-day and and rolling action being discussed. However, the general conclusion drawn by most there was that we needed a 'calendar of action' of when we would be likely to take national action in February and March.

Reps were aware of the financial pressures on staff but felt that we had to show we had a serious program of action if members were to see that the sacrifice was worth taking - and that with a 'calendar' teachers could more easily prepare ahead for the salary losses they would face through strike action.

It was a determined meeting - and confirmed to me that the fight on pensions is far from over.

Martin Powell-Davies

Teacher unions unite against OFSTED chicanery

2012-01-17T08:18:00.001Z

Ofsted wants to toughen the language of inspections in England -
changing the "satisfactory" rating to "requires improvement". Ofsted
are notorious for their violence towards the English language and
towards education in general.

By sleight of hand they change "satisfactory" to "unsatisfactory".
They label schools as "failing" in order to create a self-fulfilling
prophecy. Who would want to send their children to a "failing" school?
Or teach at one?

And the not-so-hidden agenda? Christine Blower, NUT General Secretary,
bluntly pointed out "The government's real agenda behind this change
is of course inventing yet another category of schools that it will
then seek to force into academy status."

In a welcome move another teacher union the NASUWT echoed the NUT's
concern: "The seemingly tough talk we have heard from the government
today, may have popular appeal but the reality is that it has nothing
to do with raising standards,"

"Instead, it is about ratcheting up pressure on schools, without
providing the support and resources they need to assist them in
securing further improvements.

"This announcement will encourage a culture of vicious management
practices within schools which will have a profoundly negative effect
on the workforce and children and young people alike."

Nothing illustrates Gove's hypocrisy more clearly than his dodgy "Free
School" project. For all his blather about raising standards, Free
Schools like the proposed one in Southwater, Horsham, are not required
to have qualified teachers.

So any Tom Dick or Harriet off the street can come and teach our
children on the cheap. The private
schools the millionaires in the government send their children are
staffed by professionals. If Gove gets his way they will be the only
schools that are!

NUT members - show your support for pensions action

2012-01-14T09:10:00.001Z

Motion for school NUT groups to discuss

We would like school groups to discuss this motion and report back the views of members to the NUT National Executive before their next meeting on January 26th

In particular we would like an indication of members’ support for further strike action by the NUT.

Motion

This union meeting notes that the Heads of Agreement “offer” made by the government to teaching unions on December 19^th still means that we would have to pay more, work longer and get a smaller pensions.

We note that the government is still intent on:

i) increasing our pension contributions by 50%;

ii) raising the retirement age for teachers to 68;

iii) introducing a pension based on a career average rather than final salary;

iv) using CPI, rather than RPI, as the index for annual increases in our pensions.

These are the measures against which we took strike action on June 30^th and November 30^th and for these reasons we believe the NUT was right not to sign up to the Heads of Agreement.

We note that the NASUWT and UCU have also refused to sign up to the Heads of Agreement.

We note that whatever concessions the government has made have only come as a result of our campaign and strike action, but go nowhere near enough to meet our concerns.

We believe that the campaign to defend our pensions must continue and that this should involve further strike action.

We call upon the NUT National Executive to draw up plans for further strike action and to discuss these with other unions who have also refused to sign the Heads of Agreement.

We therefore agree to indicate our support for:

i) the decision of the NUT to reject the Heads of Agreement document;

ii) further strike action in defence of our pensions.

No to Gove's Bullies Charter

2012-01-13T23:09:00.000Z

It's no surprise that, just when the Government feels they might be able to win a victory on pensions, they go on a further attack over their 'bullies charter'.

These plans have been in the offing for some months - see http://electmartin1.blogspot.com/2011/10/action-neeeded-to-stop-bullies-charter.html

But these threats are nothing to do with improving education - no, further teacher stress, even greater workload and further demoralisation will only make things worse. These plans are about bullying and intimidating teachers so that we are too frightened to stand up for ourselves - and for education.

Their pensions attacks mean that many teachers will be having to work on until 68 or even older, trying to keep up with the unrelenting pressure in our underfunded and overmonitored schools. Now Gove's making clear that, if you can't take the pace, you'll be sacked long before you reach your pension age.

We have to fight these plans - but we also have to make sure that we show Gove that we're not yet beaten on pensions either. The NUT Executive yesterday agreed that we cannot accept the 'Heads of Agreement' and that we are urgently talking with other unions about plans for further strike action.

Martin Powell-Davies

Gove to reform ICT teaching?

2012-01-11T16:06:00.001Z

Like a stroppy teenager, Mikey Gove put his feet up on the desk and
declared "Ere this is soooo boring!" as his considered opinion on the
teaching of ICT in all schools in England and Wales.

"Technology in schools will no longer be micro-managed by Whitehall.
By withdrawing the Programme of Study, we're giving teachers freedom
over what and how to teach, revolutionising ICT as we know it. "

Quite right. It won't be micro-managed. It will be Micro-soft. Gove is
proposing that schools should use teaching materials which promote
Microsoft and Google.

It is usually the case that when government ministers threaten to
"reform" something, they are going to reform it the same way the
iceberg "reformed" the Titanic. In this case the DFE mean they won't
run ICT on behalf of the corporations, they will let the corporations
like Microsoft and Google run ICT directly. For Microsoft education is
a chance to make a fast buck. For Google, everything is a chance to
acquire information on consumers so they can target advertising at
them.

Microsoft Office is available at a special educational price of £99.99
per unit with additional costs for upgrades. Open source alternatives
like Open Office are available free.. The upgrades are free too.

And if Gove seriously wanted pupils to be involved in developing
software he would be promoting open source software where the code is
publicly available. This is far more educational than Microsoft which
protects its code as a "business secret".

Brighton Unison LG Pensions Statement. NO SURRENDER

2012-01-01T16:23:00.000Z

Below is a open communication from Brighton Local Government Unison to
regional and national officers.

I am asked by the vast majority of our Branch Committee, activists,
and by several hundred members, on-line(a massive response, since
Friday last), to express our deep concern at the latest developments
in the Pensions Dispute.

Four years ago we were told of a "once in a lifetime" deal on
Pensions. It is our collective view, and we believe this represents
all of the 95 percent of UNISON members that were out on strike on
November 30th (the remainder were mostly exempt staff), that ANY
climb-down from a united Trade Union position will be seen as a
weakness by this Government, with severe consequences for the future,
not just in terms of pensions.

Our negotiating position should only change when the Government makes
it clear they have moved - the communication below, is quite clear
that any move is dependent on Eric Pickles agreeing to such. And
exactly what is he being asked to agree on? What are the consequences
for the negotiations?

To myself, but more importantly to our members, basic negotiating
positions should not alter from our side, unless, and until, the
employers put a definite proposal on the table. They haven't so far,
throughout 12 months or more, unless one counts ultimatums as a
position, so why are we shifting ours?

This is utterly unacceptable to this Branch. We did not come out on
the 30th, to go "up the hill", and be left at the top.

Very simply, members will be asking, are asking, why the hell did I
take part in the most successful strike for many years, to see my
Union apparently, give away that "high ground" and appear to give in
to a "bully". The one thing we have learnt with bullies, is not to
give in - it makes them worse!

I do not fear that my Branch will lose members through this; we are
too strong, successful, and confident in Brighton and Hove for such a
luxury. Elsewhere, and I say this with some knowledge and experience,
may well be different.

The 4,300 members of UNISON in Brighton and Hove urge our national
leadership to argue for a continuing united front with our sister
Unions, and, even if that is not possible, to be prepared to stick to
the defined position of 30th November 2011 - that is, we have our
current pension arrangements and they need to stay as they are now.

Do not give in!

Yours Sincerely,

Alex Knutsen

Branch Secretary

Pensions - Emergency Conference in London on 7 January

2011-12-28T21:47:00.000Z

Stop Dorries Demo

2011-12-28T08:20:00.000Z

On 20 January 2012, Nadine Dorries' proposed amendment to sex education, Bill 185, which suggests GIRLS be taught abstinence, is due to get a second reading in parliament.

A demonstration opposing the bill is being supported by Youth Fight For Jobs, The British Humanist Association and Queers Against The Cuts. The demo starts at 10:30am at Old Palace Yard, Westminster, outside Parliament. Details of the demo are at http://on.fb.me/stopdorriesdemo.

The bill is sexist as it positions girls as being solely responsible for decisions about sexual activity and boys as having no responsibility for ensuring that sex is mutually wanted, fully consenting and safe. Dorries even said that teaching children to 'say no' could reduce child abuse. This victim blaming is dangerous, incorrect, and offensive to survivors of abuse.

Abstinence education on its own is ineffective in reducing teenage pregnancies and STI rates. Good quality comprehensive Sex and Relationships Education (SRE) should already explicitly address the option of abstinence as part of decision-making about sex, and safer sex.

SRE should be informative and fact based. Some of the most important bits of SRE, which really helps young people to take responsibility for themselves and make healthy decisions (namely the relationships and communication aspects), are optional for schools and this bill will not change that. If this bill passes, some schools could end up only teaching the biology of reproduction and STIs (within the science curriculum) plus abstinence.

If Dorries really wanted to help young women to stay safe and healthy she would be advocating for statutory, comprehensive sex and relationships education for all young people, of all genders, and in all schools whether they are faith schools, academies, free schools or community schools. Her party in Government has already stated that they have no intention of making SRE statutory.

More information on the campaign can be found at http://facebook.com/stopdorries and the demonstration at http://on.fb.me/stopdorriesdemo.

Beth Granter

What the pensions 'offer' meant: - pay more, get less, retire older

2011-12-28T08:16:00.000Z

The NASUWT website contains a link to the ‘offer’ that was presented to the education unions before Christmas – and that both the NUT and NASUWT refused to sign. You can read it for yourself on:

http://www.nasuwt.org.uk/consum/groups/public/@journalist/documents/nas_download/nasuwt_008758.pdf

I am sure that NUT and NASUWT pensions experts will be able to provide teachers with some precise modelling to update the 'pensions calculators' and to rebuff the false claims that the Government have been making. For now, this is what I think the different clauses in the 'Heads of Agreement' meant:

1 i) Unions must agree to no more strike action while the ‘deal’ is being finalised = AGREE TO GIVE-UP THE WEAPON THAT REALLY THREATENS US, and

ii) If you want a better accrual rate (i.e a bigger amount set aside each year to improve pension payouts), you’ll have to pay for it by a worse indexation rate (cutting pension payouts), because we’re not putting any more money into the scheme (see 3 below) = THERE IS NO MORE MONEY ON THE TABLE SO THERE CAN BE NO REAL CONCESSIONS.

2a. The final-salary scheme will be replaced by a career-average-scheme. Because of the way that career-average schemes work, this change will mean a much smaller pension unless the new ‘accrual rate’ is considerably better than the 1/60 rate that applies in the existing final-salary scheme for new entrants (for example, the Nuvos career-average scheme negotiated in 2006 for the civil service has a much better rate of 1/43) ...

b. ... but they only propose a marginal improvement to a rate of 1/57. A full calculation and modelling needs to be done to show exactly how much pensions would be cut as a result (and should have been done before any union agreed) but it = WE GET LESS PENSION.

c. Career-averages have to be linked to some kind of indexation to bring past salaries in line with today’s prices. In November, the Government were proposing the link was with average earnings. Now they have changed that to CPI + 1.6% – and they have also calculated that this would mean a cut in scheme costs. i.e. = WE GET LESS PENSION.

d. Normal Pension Age will equal the State Pension Age = WE RETIRE OLDER.

This is worse than was on offer in November because Osborne announced in his Autumn Statement that the increase in State Pension Age will now hit more workers. Instead of having to be born after 5 April 1969 to see your State Pension Age rise to 67, now anyone born after 6 April 1961 will now not get to retire on their full pension until they are 67 or older. For younger workers, it will be 68. The Government wants to increase this even further beyond 68 in future. Negotiators had been discussing if a deal could be reached that would set teachers’ pension ages beneath the State Pension Age. In December, the Government took any such possible compromise off the table.

e. Pensions in payment to increase in line with the CPI = WE GET LESS PENSION. The NUT will be appealing against the court ruling that the Government was justified in switching from the higher RPI to the lower CPI Index but, if the courts again find against us, this will mean around a 15% cut in pensions paid out over retirement.

f. Benefits earned in deferment to increase in line with CPI, also = WE GET LESS PENSION

g. Average member contributions of 9.6% = WE PAY MORE, while our real pay is cut again. These are the same pay cuts that have been displayed on the NUT pensions calculator for some time. The increases will be phased in from April 2012, the full impact being in place from April 2014. For a UPS3 teacher in Inner London, they mean a £48 monthly pay cut in 2012 (£30 in England/Wales), and a £123 monthly cut in 2014 (£74 in E/W).

h. to k. (partner pension, death in service, ill-health etc. – same as in current scheme)

l. “Actuarially fair early/late retirement factors on a cost-neutral basis except for those retiring earlier than their NPA at age 65, 66 and 67, who will have early retirement factors of 3% per year (relative to their NPA)” = WE GET LESS PENSION if you don’t work on until new, higher, normal pension ages. The only slight concession offered here is that, instead of losing around 5% of your pension for every year you retire before your NPA, the Government will kindly only steal 3% per year from you if you decide to retire at 65-67. This will still mean a big loss of your pension if you decide you can’t struggle on to 67 or 68 but need to take your pension earlier. If you decide to retire at 65, when your NPA to get a full pension is 68, you would still lose 9% of your entitlements. The Government know most of us can’t struggle on until 68 – so they can rob our pensions.

m. “An employer cost cap to provide backstop protection to the taxpayer against unforeseen costs and risks” (In other words, if they decide that we are living longer, the employers won’t have to pay more – the extra costs will be borne by us, the employees).

3. “The gross cost ceiling has been fixed at 21.7%” = WE PAY IN MORE, THEY PAY IN LESS! Employees’ contributions will be going up to an average 9.6% from the existing 6.4% - a 50% increase. To total 21.7%, that means employers’ contributions will be going down from 14.1% to 12.1%. No wonder Danny Alexander bragged in Parliament that his proposals will make pensions "substantially more affordable to alternative providers" - paving the way for further privatisation by driving down the cost of our pensions.

6. “Teachers who, as of 1 April 2012, have 10 years or less to their current pension age will see no change in when they can retire, nor any decrease in the amount of pension they receive at their current Normal Pension Age”. This is simply the ’10-year protection” that was offered – and rightly rejected as being insufficient – back in November. Even these teachers would still have to pay in more from 2012 and get less in retirement due to CPI.

7. “Members who are within a further 3.5 years of their Normal Pension Age, i.e. up to 13.5 years from their NPA will have limited protection”. This was the only slight further concession giving some protection to teachers aged between 46½ and 50 by April 2012. The Government’s figures show about 60% of teachers would get no protection at all.

Martin Powell-Davies

Pensions - Organise Against this Shoddy Deal

2011-12-21T15:41:00.000Z

The decision by the leaders of the main Local Government and Health unions like UNISON and GMB - and others like the ATL - to sign-up to the ‘Heads of Agreement’ on pensions is a sorry capitulation to Government pressure.

Just as, once again, another report reveals how big firms are getting away with billions of pounds of tax avoidance, trade union leaders have accepted cuts to the livelihoods of millions of workers who, once again, are expected to pay the price for a crisis that was none of our making.

If this deal is allowed to go through, it also risks encouraging this Government to accelerate all its other attacks on jobs, conditions and public services. In Parliament, Danny Alexander made absolutely clear that his proposals will make pensions "substantially more affordable to alternative providers" - paving the way for the further privatisation that was always a key driver to these pension cuts.

Fortunately, not every union leader has shown the same lack of backbone. The main education unions, NUT, NASUWT, UCU – along with UCAC in Wales and EIS in Scotland – have refused to sign-up by the imposed deadline. The PCS rejected the deal outright – and have the support of others like NIPSA. UNITE did not sign-up to the deal in Health after details of the proposals were shared with – and rejected – by their Health Sector National Committee.

While the weak-willed leaders will try to claim that they have won important ‘concesssions’, Danny Alexander’s assurance to Parliament yesterday reveals the truth, that the Government will still be able to make the planned "tens of billions of pounds" of savings if the ‘deal’ goes through,. The overall ‘cost-ceiling’ budget imposed for the schemes has not been lifted, so that any ‘concessions’ could only be paid for by worsening of arrangements somewhere else.

For example, UNISON have claimed improved 'accrual rates' - the rate at which pension benefits are built up – as a victory. But Alexander made clear to MPs that any improvement would be offset by a lower revaluation linked to prices rather than earnings. Or, as he put in bluntly: "These agreements deliver the government's key objectives in full, and do so with no new money since our November offer".

The sorry truth is that those union leaders have signed up to deals which are only marginally different to those which were correctly rejected in November and against which millions of workers took united strike action. The underlying principles of the ‘Heads of Agreement’ deals are brutally clear – public sector workers must pay more, to get less pension and to retire older. How can any serious trade union leader accept them?

Once the truth is revealed, and trade union members see how their pay and pensions are being cut, there will be real anger against leaders who have caved-in so easily. However, the Government hope that a deal can be rushed through before opposition from below can put a stop to it.

There is now an urgent need to campaign in every union for a rejection of the deal. Already it is reported that the Local Government unions are questioning what has been agreed after Eric Pickles sent a letter that apparently announced new conditions about limits to employers' contributions - meaning that employees' contributions would have to rise. http://union-news.co.uk/2011/12/breaking-news-unison-unite-and-gmb-withdraw-from-pensions-deal/

When the NASUWT and NUT Executives meet in early January to discuss the proposals, they must be opposed. In doing so, we must also confirm plans for further action alongside other unions in the New Year. At least now the stark reality will be clear to all – we fight on or we allow the Government to get away with their robbery of our hard-earned pensions.

As a key part of that urgent campaign, Left Unity in PCS, the union that has stood firmest against the proposals, has organised an emergency conference in London on Saturday January 7th in Friends Meeting House, Euston at 11 am. Mark Serwotka will be one of the main speakers. Everyone who is serious about defending our pensions against the Government’s attacks should try and be there.

Martin Powell-Davies

Organising Conference:
DEFEND PENSIONS - ESCALATE ACTION
- NAME DAY FOR NATIONAL STRIKE
Friends Meeting House (opp. Euston Station)
Saturday 7th January 2012 11am – 4pm

Chair: Janice Godrich PCS President
Main Speaker: Mark Serwotka PCS General Secretary
(other speakers to be announced)

Langdon School - action brings results

2011-12-17T11:16:00.000Z

After ten days of solid strike action, NUT members at Langdon School in Newham have voted overwhelmingly to suspend their strikes after growing pressure on the Local Authority helped to achieve some significant movement in negotiations to resolve the original grievances around workload and oppressive management.

The dispute is still far from resolved and members may need to return to strike action if the negotiated outcomes do not produce acceptable changes at the school.

However, as the Langdon NUT reps have said in their latest statement;
“We feel that we have shown that collective action works and that we have made considerable gains. We have won the victories we have because our group was willing to stand firm in the face of massive bullying and strike breaking attempts and maintain a solid and united strike. We also had brilliant support from the NUT at all levels: association, National Exec and Regional and National officials. In addition, the enormous solidarity we received from all of you kept us firm. We think we have shown that the NUT is a union which fights for its members and stands up to bullies at work ... Our group is transformed. We have new members, new strikers, new pickets, new speakers and new organisers. We have enormous solidarity and complete confidence in one another. Our morale is high and we have learned many lessons which we will put to good use. We are proud to be in the NUT”

Langdon NUT members should indeed be proud for their collective stand. Hopefully, the school management, the Labour Local Authority and the Tory Ministers who issued the advice to recruit strike-breakers will have realised that running a school with supply staff is not easy to sustain – and that the NUT will be prepared to respond with the action necessary to confront such a threat. Let's also hope that the gains that have been won do indeed produce the changes needed in the way the school is run.

Nevertheless, the dispute has been a warning to all NUT members about the methods that will be used to try and defeat our collective strength as we battle to defend teachers and education against swingeing cuts and attacks on public services.

Martin Powell-Davies

Act Now to Stop the Pensions Sell-Out

2011-12-17T09:20:00.001Z

With perhaps predictable timing, just as we all head for a well-earned Christmas break, it seems that, despite the opposition of the NUT and others including the PCS and NASUWT, some TUC leaders are seeking to cave-in and sign an unacceptable attack on our pensions.

They would be guilty of accepting a pensions robbery which, just two weeks ago, we were all united in saying was unjustified and unacceptable.

They will demoralise and undermine our united movement and invite the Government to go on the attack on jobs, facility time, TUPE, pay bargaining, capability procedures - and all the other attacks that they have lined up.

Please help apply urgent pressure to make sure that negotiators do not cave-in but show the same courage and determination as their members showed in their millions on November 30.

A) There will be a Lobby of the TUC meeting planned for Monday afternoon (Dec 19th). This is where a decision could be taken to accept the shoddy deal.

THE LOBBY WILL START AT 2.00 pm at Congress House, 23-28 Great Russell Street, WC1B. Please attend if you can!

B) Please sign the e-petition put out by the National Shop Stewards Network calling for a rejection of the deal and for further united action in January:

iPetitions: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/pensions_strike_january/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=system&utm_campaign=Send%2Bto%2BFriend

C) Please support and publicise the emergency open meeting being called by PCS Left Unity at Friends Meeting House, Euston Road, London on Saturday 7 January to demand further action on pensions.

This meeting will be open to all reps in any union that took action on N30 and is to put pressure on union leaderships to name a further strike day, more details will be issued shortly.

D) Please support other similar initiatives - such as the letter being signed by London NUT branch secretaries - and forward these appeals to friends and colleagues.

Martin Powell-Davies

Christmas sell-out but not in the high street

2011-12-16T14:54:00.005Z

"Barber could end up as popular as Herod if

he sells out our pensions"

The Daily Mirror is well on top of the Christmas sell-out story.

"It is expected Mr Barber will be offered mince pies in a desperate
charm offensive by Mr Cameron aimed at heading off fresh strikes.

"He could even pose for an unprecedented handshake outside Number 10
with Mr Cameron - an image that would horrify both the Tories and union members."

The demon Barber could end up about as popular as Herod if he sells out our pensions :) Have you written to your executive member yet? Do it now before the Christmas shopping.

Job cull at the Oasis Academy, Salford

2011-12-11T16:42:00.001Z

The only thing Santa is bringing the staff at the Oasis Academy, Salford, is P45s. Thirteen staff are to lose their jobs this Christmas, nine teachers and four support staff.

The Oasis Community Learning is one of a growing number of ‘chains’ of academies, with schools in Enfield, Croydon, Bristol, Southampton, Grimsby, Oldham and elsewhere. It’s an avowedly Christian foundation, ‘motivated and inspired by the life, message and example of Christ’ (website). So they’ve sacked thirteen staff, at Christmas.

Four years ago Salford’s Hope High School was under threat. The then Director of Children’s Services, Jill Baker, herself an evangelical Christian, offered academy status under Oasis as the only alternative to closure.

Staff reluctantly accepted assurances of ‘no job losses’. They were TUPE’ed over and at first all seemed well. The former head and management team were retained, there was investment in the school and the environment improved. Planning began for a new building at Salford Quays near the BBC’s MediaCity which would be known as Oasis Academy MediaCity UK, though eyebrows were raised when it was revealed that the new school would have a capacity of 1200 pupils, since there were just over 400 currently on roll. Where would the other pupils come from? Only from other state schools in other local authorities, leading to further instability.

A year ago a new head was appointed by Oasis and about six weeks ago he announced thirteen staff redundancies, to take place mid-year, irrespective of the impact on pupils taking GCSEs. Some individual pupils will lose four or five of their subject teachers in their last year of schooling. As one pupil commented: ‘They always say that years 10 and 11 are dead important years for your GCSEs but the teachers that they're getting rid of are the ones that teach them and they're not being replaced’. When pupils heard they organised a walkout from the school and set off fire alarms all day – if Oasis didn’t care about their education then why would they?

A process of ‘consultation’ which would normally take three months has been concertina’ed into five weeks, and the unions have been sidelined. NUT members ballotted overwhelmingly for action. NUT and NAS/UWT have authorised strike days with full pay in the face of Oasis’ intransigeance. The school was closed as part of the pensions dispute on 30th November and there have been two strike days over redundancies in each of the first two weeks of December.

As one NUT member commented, ‘they say they’re a Christian foundation but basically, it’s a business’. Oasis has more secondary schools (14) than some local authorities and it might be thought that they could support a school in difficulties, or offer alternative employment (there’s an Oasis school the other side of Manchester in Oldham) – but no, each school is financially independent.

The government tries to entice more schools down the academy road but for all the glossy prospectuses and the flashy websites in this crazy Con-Dem world each school is just another cost centre.

Paul Gerrard

UNION-BUSTING AT LANGDON SCHOOL: Support your colleagues

2011-12-04T10:34:00.005Z

The recruitment of supply staff to break teachers’ strike-action at the Langdon School in East Ham, Newham, is an unprecedented attack on union organisation and a threat to every single teacher.

Unions have always advised that it is illegal for agencies to recruit staff to break strike action. But, in the run-up to the November 30 national action, the DfE issued new advice to get around the law – that a school could directly employ staff directed to them by an agency. As Langdon is a community school, this implies that Newham’s Labour Council have issued the contracts.

The strike was called after the breakdown of talks to resolve a dispute over excessive workload and oppressive management - issues that will be only too familiar to many teachers. The response of the management - bringing in dozens of supply staff who are strangers to the pupils - shows what the teachers are up against. But the strike-busting tactic must not be allowed to succeed - or it could spread across the country.

The discontinuous strike action has been solid and is getting support from both parents and from trade unionists. A Newham NUT meeting voted by a magnificent 90 - 0 for a ballot for borough-wide action.

Send messages of support to nutlangdon@aol.co.uk

LATEST UPDATE FROM THE NUT REPS:

First, the strike itself. Last week we struck on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. We're really pleased to be able to tell you that two NUT members who crossed picket lines the Thursday before have rejoined the strike. An NASUWT member and an NUT ex-member both joined the union this week and immediately struck with us. We're therefore stronger this weekend than we were last, which is really not what the head had in mind when she began the strike busting operation! Hats off to the new strikers - it's a credit to them in the face of relentless bullying and intimidation from management that they're with us.

On Tuesday we welcomed several first timers on the picket lines, as well as two National Executive members. The bin lorry refused to cross the line, as did Parcel Force drivers. Our strikers' meeting for the day took place at the Newham NUT association meeting, with over 50 strikers there. Colleagues from two secondary school groups moved a motion to spread the action to other Newham schools, as we consider that as the LA are issuing contracts to strike breakers, this means that our whole branch should be in dispute. The motion passed by 90 votes to nil and will now go to the Action Committee. Members from other schools joined us for the strikers' meeting.

Wednesday's picket was shared with Unite members at school, which was closed to pupils. NUT pickets then visited two PCS picket lines and Unison pickets at the town hall, then went into London for the demonstration. We were joined by delegations from four other Newham schools and two from Waltham Forest in putting thousands of leaflets (paid for by our supporters' donations) into the London demo urging solidarity for the strike.

Thursday saw 42 of our strikers on the gates. The strikers' meeting had 55 there, concentrating on building the meeting for parents due on Friday. We also worked out a collective strategy for staff briefing on Friday morning, which has in recent weeks consisted of the NUT being pilloried. There was a discussion of how best to escalate action if we're still out next term - three days a week to keep in touch with kids and parents and disrupt the scabbing, or five days a week?

Friday's staff briefing wasn't half as demoralising as usual, with sixty NUT members standing together with notebooks taking down the head's every word... The collective response lifted morale enormously. Senior managers spent the day demanding our planners so they can set cover for the scabs to do with our classes. We spent the day standing up to them. In the evening about 80 parents attended the NUT's meeting, despite LA attempts to get us to call it off. Our branch secretary has been accused of engaging in actions which are 'not legitimate trade union activity' and had his facility time threatened - another reason for a borough wide dispute, in our view. Kevin Courtney spoke for the union. Opinion in the meeting was clearly against the head and the Chair of Governors. Many parents and two parent governors supported the strike. This is work to be developed next week.

The school is open and running (just about) on scab labour when we're out, so next week's first strikers' meeting will concentrate on strategies for picketing. Three days on strike next week. We got about a thousand pounds in donations this week, with more on the way, and began to send out speakers to other schools.

Thanks to you all. Keep the messages coming in, invite us to speak, collect for us. Above all, forward this email to your associations, divisions and members and to any other union contacts you have and use us as an example. Let's fight together.

November 30 - Two million take united action

2011-12-04T10:28:00.003Z

ON NOVEMBER 30, two million trade unionists took part in one of the biggest joint strike actions that has been seen for generations.

Cameron had decided in advance to try and brush it off as a ‘damp squib’ - but even he had to admit the next day that it was a ‘big strike’. It most certainly was!
30 different unions took part in hundreds of different local and regional protests and rallies, a big step-up from the action in June.

For example, on June 30 about 5,000 marched in Manchester. On November 30, the numbers on the demonstration were over 30,000!

In cities like Leeds and Belfast, demos of 10,000 were reported. In other places like Hull and Truro around 3,000 marched. Lots of other small towns saw hundreds at rallies.

Behind their bluster, Ministers are starting to worry. The deep-seated anger against this government of millionaires is now welling to the surface. The public sees how jobs, pensions and services are being slashed while the wealthy continue to prosper. That’s why the opinion polls showed support for the strike.

After the June and November joint action, the pressure is mounting. We have to continue until we win.

November 30 - Leicester

2011-12-04T10:23:00.002Z

5,000 marched to a rally addressed by Kevin Courtney, the NUT Deputy General Secretary who explained:

“Yesterday, the Government gave us the clearest message it could in the Autumn Statement … freezing tax credits, an additional 300,000 public sector workers to be sacked, bringing forward the changes so that anyone less than 52 now has a pension age of 67, an additional two years of pay being held back - which will make the crisis in the economy worse … they intend to do away with national pay bargaining and to remove TUPE protection … When they say ‘we are all in it together’ they are liars !
… Now we have to be really serious about what we do next. We can’t let them take our pensions away. In the NUT we’re saying more strike action in the New Year, rolling regional strikes and more national strike action”.

Watch Kevin's speech on Youtube:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sndE9fhNEY

November 30 - Carmarthen

2011-12-04T10:21:00.000Z

Over 400 trade unionists came to the march and rally in the county town of Carmarthen in West Wales. Carmarthenshire UNISON, NUT, Unite, NASUWT and PCS banners were prominent among others.

At the rally, Scott Jones, a young USDAW rep brought fraternal greetings from YFFJ and Caroline Butchers from Carmarthenshire NUT called on the TUC to step up the action by naming the day for national co-ordinated action in the New Year, if the government don't back down over their pension proposals.

Mark Evans, Carmarthenshire Unison Branch Secretary, got the most enthusiastic response from demonstrators when he outlined the fighting lead the UNISON branch were taking. Earlier successful pickets were held in Llanelli, Ammanford and Carmarthen and there was an enthusiastic response to SP material from pickets, many of whom were picketing for the first time.

November 30 - Bristol, Bury, Huddersfield

2011-12-04T10:20:00.004Z

Bury, like so many other places, saw many more turning out for their demonstration than expected - around 1,000 marched (with 35,000 in Manchester!)

John McInally, PCS Vice-President, spoke to 20,000 rallying in Bristol:

“Our slogan is ‘fair pensions for all’. When ministers talk about ‘fairness’ between private and public sector pensions what they mean is a race to the bottom. We must get even more unions on board, including private sector workers fighting for their pensions too… Let’s stick together. We can win!”

In Huddersfield, Over 2,000 attended the pensions demonstration and rally. Over 80% of schools in Kirklees were fully or partially closed.

November 30 - Exeter

2011-12-04T10:19:00.001Z

Exeter saw thousands of people involved in industrial action yesterday. All the schools were closed, there were large pickets outside the RD&E Hospital and the College, while TV news was forced to read the weather reports from internet sources due to the disruption of the strike by Met Office workers.

Over 4,000 people marched through the city centre to a packed rally at St James' Park. Here, speaker after speaker lambasted the public sector pension attacks. It was a shame though that only a few speakers though made the link between the attacks on the working class and the fact the rich are still getting richer, showing the contradictions of capitalism.

The Labour Party speaker meekly appologised for his party's lukewarm support and said that the Exeter CLP was behind the workers. However, the fact that the Labour Exeter City Council is making cuts wont be lost on many of the crowd. It was further unfortunate that only one speaker discussed the complete lack of working class political representation- just when we need it most. Luckily the mood of the crowd was better than the political content of the speeches.

November 30 - Brighton

2011-12-04T10:17:00.003Z

Damp - but definitely NOT a 'damp squib' - up to 10,000 rallied in Brighton.

November 30 - Belfast

2011-12-04T10:14:00.001Z

Northern Ireland saw massive industrial action by public sector workers on 30 November. The mood of strikers was determined and often angry, particularly after George Osborne’s Westminster speech the day before, where he pledged new huge attacks on public sector workers.

The public sector is by far the largest employer in N Ireland. Pickets and strikers said that 30 November was just the start of strike action until their demands are met by the government.

Around 10,000 attended a union rally in Belfast rally and up to 3,000 in Derry city. Other union rallies took place in other towns like Newry, Enniskillen, Omagh, Craigavon, Armagh, Ballymena and other areas.

This magnificent day of industrial action saw Catholic and Protestant workers standing shoulder to shoulder against the real common foe – the ConDem government and the big banks and big bosses that this government represents.

Speakers at the large union rally in central Belfast included Mary Cahillane, INTO (Irish National Teachers’ Organisation) National Executive member. Here is a statement from Mary Cahillane, INTO National Executive member (made in a personal capacity):

Set a date for next strike!
“November 30th has shown that the Assembly parties and the Tory/Lib Dem Government are opposed by millions of workers in their attempt to make ordinary people pay for the crimes of the bankers and the billionaires.

“The bosses press has attempted to demonise workers for refusing to go along with cuts to pensions, jobs and services. The Belfast Telegraph newspaper has exposed its anti-worker agenda by attempting to paint bus drivers participating in strike action as hurting school children. What a nerve from a paper owned by Sir Tony O’Reilly - a tax exile millionaire! The Irish News has sensationally attacked trade unionists for the temerity of availing of their rights to represent workers during working hours, claiming the taxpayer is paying £4million to unions. Utter rubbish! Not a word about the billions given to the banks or the millions wasted every year in tax loopholes for the rich.

“The cabinet of millionaires in Westminster are threatening to further erode our right to take strike action as if the current anti-trade union laws weren’t enough. After savagely attacking workers in the private sector, political representatives of the rich have also attempted to turn workers in the private sector against public sector workers. But they have failed. Workers across the board are facing attacks on terms and conditions. There needs to be a united movement of all workers, the unemployed, pensioners and young people to the brutal austerity being carried out by all the parties in Stormont.

“The magnificent strike on 30th November also demonstrated the potential support for a political alternative to the main parties – one which unites ordinary people to defend our jobs and livelihoods and which stands for a socialist alternative to bailouts for big business and the billionaires. The trade unions should take concrete steps now to initiate the launch of a new mass party of the working class to challenge the parties in Stormont”

November 30 - Lewisham

2011-12-04T10:07:00.005Z

In Lewisham, the day started early with a picket-line from 6.30 am outside Prendergast Ladywell Fields College of NUT and GMB members.

A reporter from LBC radio interviewed Fran, the school NUT rep, who explained how teachers could not work on until 68 and how education would suffer if we had to. The reporter tried to find a passer-by who was against the strikes - but couldn't find a single one! The toots from the car-horns of passing motorists made very clear the mood of the public - it's time someone stood up to this millionaire's government!

Picket lines were also mounted at several other schools - although the vast majority had been either totally or largely closed to pupils. Everyone then gathered at the Town Hall in Catford where UNISON pickets reported that the building was largely empty with very few staff reporting for work.

Then it was off to Charing Cross to meet hundreds more Lewisham staff. We walked behind the Lewisham banners - including a fantastic one from Sydenham School - up to Lincoln's Inn Fields for the start of the all-London joint union demonstration.

The square just wasn't big enough for the thousands that had gathered. It set-off at about 12.45 - and was still leaving the square two hours later. There must have been over 50,000 marching.

We marched along the Strand and down to the Embankment before listening to Christine Blower, Mark Serwotka and other speakers at the closing rally.

One banner summed up the mood of many on the day: - "Work Till You Die - Or Strike Till You Win!"

November 30 - Worcester

2011-12-04T10:06:00.001Z

Worcester’s response to Osborne’s six more years of austerity was to mount a magnificent march of 600 trade unionists organised by Worcester Trade Union Council through the streets of the city.

The message was clear: we will not work longer, we will not accept a worse pension on retirement and we certainly will not pay more in contributions for the privilege.

Teachers, lecturers, health workers, refuse workers, ambulance staff, cleaners, office workers, Connexions staff, civil servants including those represented by the FDA, the highest grade employees, educational psychologists and many others from other parts of the public sector took part in a noisy march fronted by a samba band to rally at Tramps nightclub in the city centre. It was standing room only as many more who had not braved the cold weather joined the marchers.

700 people filled the hall literally to the rafters as all three tiers of the club were packed out. They heard speeches from Max Hyde, NUT Junior Vice President, who started by asking a series of questions: whether there were any public sector employees in the crowd - a resounding yes; whether there were any present opposed to the ConDem pension plans - another resounding yes; whether there was anyone present responsible for the present economic crisis - silence.

She went on to attack New Labour’s opposition to the strike. Speakers from NAPO, the probation service union and UNISON also echoed the frustration and anger directed by many of the workers towards Milliband’s position. Kevin Greenway, PCS National Executive, outlined the next step in the face of continued government intransigence. If we are to lose much more than a day’s pay after the increased pension contributions begin next year then we are prepared to strike again in the near future. The TUC before Christmas should set a date for the next strike to take place before the end of January.

The day was a resounding success and has now set the tone for the next stage in the fight to defeat the ConDem pension reforms.

November 30 - Birmingham

2011-12-04T10:03:00.002Z

The mood on Birmingham picket lines had definitely hardened since their last strike; the picket lines were bigger and fewer people went into work. Workers were beginning to realise they had no option but to fight.

A couple of pickets expressed surprise and frustration that Labour hadn't supported them more vigorously or called for the government's resignation. When I explained that they supported the government's policy of getting them to pay for the bankers' crisis and the need for a new workers' party they agreed.

As the 15,000 strong march snaked its way through Birmingham city centre there was not one hostile comment from bystanders. The streets were noticeably emptier than normal because so many city centre workers were on strike! the ConDem council tried to obstruct the demonstration by threatening to charge £10,000 for road closures, a month earlier they didn't charge the racist EDL a penny for their demonstration.

The Regional Secretary of the CWU who chaired the rally set the correct tone by announcing that postal workers throughout the country had refused to cross picket lines in solidarity, that this strike is for all workers not just public servants.

The pressure from the rank and file of the unions was partly reflected in radical speeches by Brendan Barber and UNISON General Secretary Dave Prentis and the mood hardened as the rally progressed. Ex General Secretary of Unite Tony Woodley said he was sure that there would be further strike action followed by a call for more action by PCS President Janice Godrich and a teacher from Coventry who called for another strike in January.

PCS President Janice Godrich cut across the divisions the government and media are trying to foster by correctly opposing all cuts and pledging her union's support for any campaign by private sector workers to secure a living pension and said that the notion that meaningful negotiations are taking place is the equivalent of calling Lord of the Rings an historical textbook. Every mention of the government and the bankers was met with the jeers usually associated with the appearance of the pantomime baddie. If there was a banker in the rally he or she would have been lynched.

The rally was put into perspective by ordinary union members like the newly qualified teacher who said that although she loved her parents she wanted enough money for a home of her own and the Jobcentre worker who said that she was on strike because she couldn't afford not to be.

The message was clear from Birmingham, the government have next to no support for their slaughter of public services and workers' pensions and that if they don't back off we're in for a rematch sooner rather than later

Sign of the Times

2011-12-01T18:32:00.001Z

A home-made banner from Christs showing all three unions working together. Together the unions make us strong. And if millionaire Maude has problems with the words "honour" and "service" we can provide a dictionary :)

It isn't over until Maude Sings!

2011-11-30T23:56:00.001Z

"Terrible disruption of everyone's life by selfish striking scum" or
"It's all a damp squib" - the government cannot keep their story
straight over the unprecedented strike action on November 30th

Over 300 marched in Horsham to put our questions to Francis Maude -
the minister for cutting pensions - but Maude wouldn't come into the
garden to talk to us.

Instead we heard from Phil Wood of UNISON who stressed the unfair
treatment of women workers by this government with its two token
females surrounded by male millionaires.;

Marian Darke brought the greetings of the American Teachers Union -
"our action has caused ripples across the world."

Ben - a GMB ambulance driver - "We come out all hours to support
people in emergencies - we want you to support us."

Derek Isaacs of North Sussex Trades Council was a surprise addition to
the platform. "Instead of refusing to pay the pensioners - we could
refuse to pay the millionaire fat cats who profited from PFI deals"

Veronica Peppiatt - National Executive member - pointed out that the
government is targeting pensioners but has no interest in stopping the
tax avoidance by which individuals grab 13 billion pounds and
Corporations grab 12 billion pounds out of the public purse.

This is not the end. The determination of the pensioners and trade
unionists in the first Horsham protest since the repeal of the corn
laws is a small indication that this damp squib could blow up in the
government's face :)

Derek McMillan

Dominic Lawson joins the jackals

2011-11-29T13:50:00.000Z

Dominic Lawson's article in The Independent is a rehash of government
propaganda against the public sector.

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/dominic-lawson/dominic-lawson-it-is-the-haves-going-on-strike-not-the-havenots-6269308.html

I wrote the following to d.lawson@independent.co.uk
You might like to give him your two penn'orth as well :)

I expected the Independent to go one better than the tabloid "gold
plated pensions" and "selfish striking scum". You are a disappointment.

As you very well know the government is attacking all pensions and
benefits - except of course the bonuses paid to deserving bankers, the
50 percent pay rises for top executives and Francis Maude's
astronomical pension!

You seem to think that a contract between an employer and an employee
can be torn up. Everybody in my profession agreed to accept less pay
in return for a good pension. Then forty years down the line people
like you can laugh at us and say "and you wont get the pension either
sucker!"

And you wonder why people are angry :)

How much is my pension gonna pay me?

2011-11-26T12:07:00.001Z

Tune: How much is that doggy in the window?

How much is my pension gonna pay me,
When they've finished chipping it away?

The bankers have bu**ered up the system,
And now we're expected to pay.

How much is my pension gonna pay me?
How much is it gonna be worth?

The bankers are costing us a fortune,
And soon they will cost us the earth.

How much is my pension gonna pay me?
When I've worked myself into the floor.

And they want me to pay more for the privilege
Well it's time that we told them: "NO MORE"!!

November 30 - if Con-Dems don't retreat, escalate the action

2011-11-26T10:06:00.001Z

OUR STRIKE ON 30 NOVEMBER is uniting millions of workers in a show of strength not seen in Britain for generations.

Thousands of schools will be closed to pupils as heads, teachers and support staff take action together to defend our pensions from a thieving government that wants us to pay for the chaos caused by unregulated banks and an unfettered market that puts the pursuit of proﬁt before people’s needs.

The experience will lift the confidence of public sector workers to fight on until the pensions robbery is defeated - and to move on to defeat all the other attacks being made to our pay, conditions and public services. It will also lift the confidence of workers across Britain to stand up and join us in a fight for their jobs and services too.

No wonder Ministers have been desperate to try and stop the N30 action taking place ! Having refused any meaningful negotiations for months, they hoped that they could divide and confuse us with their last-minute ‘offer’. But, steeled by the firm opposition from Left unions like the NUT and PCS, the answer from every union has been the same - ‘thanks, but no thanks’. Thanks - because even these inadequate concessions have exposed the government’s weakness in the face of united trade union opposition. No thanks - because they still want us to work longer and pay more to get less pension.

The press will do their owners’ bidding and try to turn public opinion against us. But they are not succeeding. When unions have got their message out onto the streets and at the school gates, we have found support. People recognise that money cut from our pensions wouldn’t be going to boost private-sector pensions or state benefits. No, they want to rob our pensions to pay for the bankers’ bailouts and to lower costs for the privateers buying up public services.

We need to make clear to the Con-Dems that November 30 is not just a one-off token protest. If they do not back down from their pensions robbery, we will be back with further action in January.

We can’t afford to hesitate and leave it until after Xmas to make any concrete plans. Unions must quickly announce a clear plan and dates for further joint strike action.

No trade unionist can easily afford to lose pay but trade unionists will be ready to carry on the battle - as long as they understand that their leaderships have a serious plan in place to win this struggle.

The key to victory is widespread co-ordinated national action involving as many unions as possible, applying the level of pressure that can force this government into serious negotiations.

Plans for rolling regional joint action being proposed by the NUT can certainly play a part in maintaining momentum. But it would need careful co-ordination with other trade unions to be effective.

Joint national strike action, bringing everyone together on a day - or even two days of action - remains the key strategy. Unions should certainly consider calling a 48-hour strike next term.

So let's have a huge turnout on November 30, but then let’s build for:
● A further national strike of at least one-day as soon in 2012 as possible.
● A programme of action co-ordinated across as many unions as possible.
● Step up our public campaign in every town and city - ‘Fair Pensions for all!’

Martin Powell-Davies

A reply to Nick Gibb

2011-11-25T07:03:00.000Z

With the Government panicking at the thought of millions of workers coming out on strike together next week, we should expect Ministers to turn to their ‘dirty-tricks’ department to try (but fail !) to undermine our action.

However, whether Data Protection legislation allows Nick Gibb MP, “Minister of State for Schools” to send today’s unsolicited and misleading email to thousands of teachers’ personal emails addresses, is still being investigated.

Obviously hurt by the effect of the National NUT’s pensions loss calculator, the email suggests teachers visit the DfE’s website to use their pensions calculator instead! But the DfE calculator doesn’t show you how much a teacher stands to lose from the pensions robbery! It also uses some debatable projections for ‘career averages’.

The email does have to admit that there are three things that are set to change:

“A rebalancing of employee and employer contributions” – i.e PAY MORE!
A move from a ‘final salary’ to a ‘career average’ pension – i.e. GET LESS!
“A phased increase to teachers' Normal Pension Age” – i.e RETIRE OLDER!

In other words, cutting through the distortion – it is indeed PENSIONS ROBBERY!

Martin Powell-Davies

My colleague on the NUT Executive for Inner London, Alex Kenny, has produced this model email to be sent in reply to Nick Gibb:

Mr Nick Gibb MP

House of Commons

London SW1 1AA

gibbn@parliament.uk

Changes to the Teacher Pension Scheme

Dear Mr Gibb,

Thank you for your correspondence, the contents of which are noted.

I note that the Department’s Pensions Calculator does not make a comparison with the pension I would get under the current scheme; my union’s calculator does exactly this and I am shocked by how much I stand to lose.

Research carried out by my union shows that, since the Teacher Pension Scheme was established in 1923, more money has been paid into it than has been paid out. The excess figure is more than £46bn.

This would seem to show that our pension scheme is affordable and sustainable in the long-term, especially as the National Audit Office tells me the costs are falling as planned.

Having made these points, I will let you have my answer in full on Wednesday November 30^th.

With best wishes,

LGBT History Month 2012 on the starting blocks

2011-11-23T10:08:00.001Z

Hundreds of sports organisers, policymakers and community activists came together at the Oval yesterday, to make plans for LGBT History Month, in February 2012.

The event, in its seventh year, is now firmly established as a major event in the calendar. For the second year running, the theme is sport and the organisers hope to make the Olympic year a turning point. Co chair Tony Fenwick commented:

“We are confident that LGBT History Month 2012 will prove to be equally as successful and we will see even greater strides in the visibility and safety of LGBT people in sport in the coming year.”

Throughout the day, participants attended a series of workshops on LGBT inclusion in sport. Equalities minister Lynne Featherstone reaffirmed the government’s commitment to LGBT equality and highlighted the success of the Charter for Action, which is now supported by over 30 different sports.

The evening programme saw BBC commentator Bob Ballard and comedian Rosie Wilby compering a series of presentations from sports organisers and community activists.

In February 2011, over 1000 events were posted on the History Month website calendar. Traditionally, most events are organised by LGBT community groups, but many sports bodies are starting to join in. Co chair Sue Sanders commented:

“We are particularly proud of an initiative of Sheffield Eagles Rugby League Club, who made history by becoming the first professional team to wear an anti homophobic message on their kit.”

The organisers are working with Pride Sports to challenge homophobia in sport and increase participation in sport by LGBT people. Director Lou Englefield commented:

“We believe that attitudes in sport still haven’t caught up with recent legislative advances. Our partnership with LGBT History Month has highlighted the exclusion faced by many LGBT people in sport and provided a focus for sports organizations to take action during February to challenge homophobia and transphobia. Let’s create a lasting legacy for LGBT engagement in sport.”

Sue Saunders

Will you still feed me, when I'm 68?

2011-11-20T21:24:00.000Z

When I get older losing my hair, not many years from now,

Will you still be asking me to cover a class, take a playground duty, mark assessment tasks?

When being observed to get a Grade A, will I have to demonstrate in PE?

Will you still need me, will you still pay to feed me, even with my dodgy knee?

One day you’ll be 68 too,

And if you say the word, we could meet up in the dole queue

I could be handy supporting new staff, experienced member of the team,

But will you still be asking me to mark loads of books, stay late for meetings and jump through hoops?

When being monitored to get a grade A, I must keep up with APP,

Will you still need me, will you still pay to feed me, when I‘m tired and niggardly?

I’m working all hours God sends me now, how can I give you more?

Take is all you seem to do to you don’t respect me, it’s working with the children gives me sanity,

When we get called we’ll try to jump and salute, in preparation for the big O!

Will you still need me, will you still pay to feed me, or will I have to go?

from Karen Parkinson (Lewisham NUT)

Re: Stuffing Maude's Mattress

2011-11-20T17:41:00.001Z

On 20 November 2011 17:29, Derek McMillan <derekmcmillan1951@gmail.com> wrote:

The government has over the years acquired 46.4 billion pounds of our money from the pension fund. Where did it all go? Stuffing Maude's mattress?

The following press release is from the NUT. We urge members to write to their local papers and MPs in the run up to November 30th to put facts like these into the public domain.

Teachers' pensions – £46.4 billion more paid in than paid out - press release

Friday 18 November
The NUT today provides further support for the argument that public sector pensions are affordable and fair.
The NUT research shows that, during the lifetime of the Teachers' Pension Scheme (TPS), £46.4bn more has been paid into the scheme than has been paid out.

The NUT has calculated the total payments into and from the TPS over the period 1923 to date, using its official valuation reports and accounts. Adjusting these figures in line with GDP growth shows that at least £46.4bn more in current prices has been paid into the TPS in contributions over the years than has been paid out in pensions.

This follows earlier reports by the National Audit Office and the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee which show that the long term costs of the TPS are already declining following earlier reforms. The long term picture contrasts sharply with the Government's arguments that the current imbalance between contributions and payments makes teachers' pensions unsustainable.

Christine Blower, General Secretary of the National Union of Teachers, the largest teachers' union, said:
"The NUT's research proves two points. First, funding public sector pensions is a complex area – we won't allow our opponents simply to ignore those parts of the story that don't suit them. Second, it is a long term issue – policies shouldn't be driven by short term considerations.

"There is no £46.4 billion to hand. The fact is, however, that the Government has accepted a long series of cheap loans from teachers' pension contributions before complaining about paying the pensions promised in return."

--
http://www.derekmcmillan.com

Questions and Answers

2011-11-17T21:50:00.005Z

For the answers to many queries about taking action on November 30, go to the FAQs on the Lewisham NUT website

https://local.teachers.org.uk/lewisham/news/Pensions.cfm

Pensions robbery - Francis Maude Guilty! ....Labour Peer Lord Hutton Guilty!

2011-11-17T19:58:00.000Z

WSTA is holding a protest in Horsham. Hilariously, the Labour Party
has tried to hijack it. We have suggested they hand over Lord Hutton
alive! Of course we welcome individual Labour supporters coming along
to support us.

They want workers to support Labour. They would be better occupied
getting the Labour Party to support the working class.

Our action is portrayed by the millionaire government and the gutter
press as teachers looking after "gold plated" pensions. That is a pack
of lies. The protest in Francis Maude's constituency is against a cut
to all pensions.

The government intends to cut *all* pensions by reneging on a promise
to link pensions to average earnings or the rise in the cost of
living. Prices will go up and the current plan is that pensioners will
receive nothing - zero - to cope with it.

The West Sussex Teachers' Association (NUT) invites pensioners and
anyone concerned about the savage cuts to pensions to support a rally
in Horsham

Assemble at 10am at the Bandstand in Horsham Park and go to the
bandstand in the Carfax via Madeira Avenue where Tory Party HQ is.

Our blog wsta1.org.uk will have information about this.

Horsham MP Francis Maude needs to answer some questions. The WSTA want
to know:

1) Can you explain what has happened to the cast iron guarantee that
"We will restore the earnings link for the basic state pension from
April 2011, with a *triple guarantee* that pensions are raised by the
higher of earnings, prices or 2.5%."

2) What does the government plan to do to pensions in 2012?
Will the link to increases in the cost of living even exist or will
pensioners be made to pay for the bankers' crisis?

3) Is it likely that the current policy towards teachers' pensions
will lead to a problem of recruitment in state schools?

4) How will it impact the public schools to which government ministers
send their children?

The West Sussex Teachers' Association (NUT) is not affiliated to any
political party and we would be asking the same questions whichever
party was in power.

Make Maude choke on his coffee!

2011-11-13T23:03:00.000Z

Francis Maude, the millionaire Cabinet Office Minister has suggested we just take a ‘token’ 15-minute coffee-break on November 30 instead of losing pay through a day’s strike!

Nobody should be taken in by his daft suggestion. Instead, we should take it as encouragement to strike in our millions on November 30.

It’s a clear sign that the Government are starting to feel the pressure. They are desperate to avoid our united movement demonstrating its strength and exposing their pensions robbery.

Without action, this Government will yield nothing. It’s only because of the action on June 30 and now the growing number of unions declaring for the N30 strike that they’ve been forced to start to make concessions - even though minimal ones for now.

Nobody wants to lose pay in the run-up to Xmas. But if we lose this battle, we’ll be losing a day’s pay every month in higher pension payments.

When your opponent starts to wobble, that’s the time to push hardest! That’s why we must answer Maude with the strongest possible action!

It's still pay more, get less, retire older

2011-11-13T22:58:00.003Z

The Government has been forced to offer some small concessions in a desperate attempt to stop joint action on November 30.

Let’s say ‘thanks, but no thanks’, because they now need to move a whole lot further. That’s because their ‘offer’ means:

IT'S STILL 'PAY MORE'
EVERY teacher would still have to pay around 50% more into their pensions each month - a huge pay cut while we suffer a pay freeze and inflation rockets. Over 50’s aren’t protected - no, higher-paid teachers pay more!
The NUT Pensions Calculator shows that, from April 2014:
A NQT teacher on M2 in Outer London loses £37 a month.
A UPS1 teacher in England loses £68 a month.
A UPS3 teacher in Inner London loses £123 a month.

… & 'GET LESS'
EVERY teacher will lose 15% of the value of their pension during retirement because of the switch to the lower CPI inflation index.
Most teachers will lose out from the change to ‘career average’ pensions too.
Changing the ‘accrual rate’ to 1/60 won’t leave anyone better off either - that's the rate that already applies in the existing scheme for new teachers!
The Pensions Calculator shows that most teachers will be much worse off if they still retire at 60 because that will count as ‘early retirement’ (see overpage).

… & 'RETIRE OLDER'
A 33 year-old teacher would have to work to age 68 to get a full pension. In fact, it might be even older under Government plans.
The only real concession is to let over 50s take all their pension based on the current scheme without reduction at 60. But the pension already ‘banked’ before any new pension changes come in was always going to be protected - so this will only be a few years extra protection for teachers already close to retirement. But they’d still have to pay more and get less.

Pensions: 10 facts the Government don’t want to tell you:

2011-11-13T22:57:00.001Z

1. Unions negotiated and agreed the changes to pensions that were introduced in 2007:
The last Government also wanted to make big cuts to public sector pensions - the threat of strike action forced them to retreat. This Government will have to do the same.

2. The 2007 changes were properly costed - but this Government refuses to do a valuation:
Why are they scared of the facts? Probably because if a valuation was done, it would show that Ministers are wrong to claim our pensions are ‘unaffordable’. Instead, it would confirm that the cost of pensions is set to fall - just as the Government’s own National Audit Office suggests:
“The 2007-08 changes are likely to reduce costs to taxpayers of the pension schemes by £67 billion over 50 years” (NAO)

3. Teachers have paid £46bn more money into the Pension Scheme than has been paid out:
Far from being a burden to the taxpayer, NUT researchers suggest that the Teachers Pension Scheme has actually helped to fund Government expenditure! Adjusting for today’s prices, they estimate that a staggering £46 billion more was paid into the scheme than has been paid out!

4. Cameron’s claims in Parliament exaggerate their pensions ‘offer’ and mislead the public:
Ministers gave an example in Parliament that suggested that a teacher would be better off under their proposals! But they were comparing what a teacher would get at 68 under their scheme with what they would get at 60 now!
Of course, if a teacher struggled on to 68 they would have paid through the nose for any bigger pension with eight more years of increased contributions. But, if they chose to go at 60, the Government would make an ‘actuarial reduction’ that robbed them of their pension entitlements. Instead of getting £1000s more, they’d get £1000s less.
“That teacher retiring at age 60 under the new arrangements would receive a pension of £13,800 - a loss of £5,300 per year compared with £19,100 under the current scheme” (NUT)

5. They want our pension ages to be OVER 68:
Most teachers will face an impossible choice - retire ‘early’ and give up £1000s of their hard-earned pension or try to work on in an exhausting school environment ‘til 67 or 68. They might have to work on even longer. The Government wants to raise state pension ages even further than that!

6. The change from RPI to to CPI is just a crude cut - it isn’t supported by statisticians:
The Government wants to switch to CPI for just one simple reason - it costs less. They can save money at the expense of all those needing to live on pensions and benefits.
“We do not feel CPI serves the purpose of being a sufficiently good measure of price inflation as experienced by households” (Royal Statistical Society)

7. There’s a real pensions scandal in the UK - but cutting teachers’ pensions won’t solve it:
Only one in three private sector workers is now a member of an employer-sponsored pension scheme; in Europe, only Cyprus, Latvia and Estonia have higher levels of pensioner poverty. But the Government aren’t cutting public sector pensions to pay for increased state pensions! No, they want a ‘race to the bottom’ for all of us.

8. While we have to pay more, they want employers to pay less into the pension funds:While teachers’ contributions are increased, the new ‘offer’ is based on cutting the level of employers’ contributions.

9. They’re cutting our pensions to help big businesses privatise our services:
“Labour has accused the government of using its public sector pension reforms to "soften up" the cost base of schools, hospitals and other public services and pave the way for a programme of mass privatisation” (The Guardian 5.7.11).

10. There is enough money in society to have fair pensions for all - that’s what we fight for:
A quarter of all tax relief on pensions, over £10bn a year, goes to the richest 1% in the country. These are the same individuals who have seen their bonuses and incomes rocket while the rest of us are told to accept cuts.
Teachers and other public-sector workers don’t need lectures from this government of millionaires about ‘pensions justice’. We will strike to defend our pensions - and strengthen the campaign for fair pensions for all.

SERTUC organising conference

2011-11-12T18:52:00.002Z

The SERTUC organising conference discussed the proposed actions across the South East on N30 and how to procede afterwards. There was an overwhelming feeling that we need to escalate the action after N30

They stressed that this was not a non-political protest but it was certainly a non party political protest.Since Labour peer Hutton was the author of the anti-pensioner proposals we would be on the march whichever group of politicians were in power. We need to fight for a political alternative and prevent Labour hijacking an anti-cuts agenda into a pro-(nice Labour) cuts agenda.

You have only to look at the backhanded support Milliband gave to the anti-capitalist protestors. He endorsed their protest against the nasty capitalists and thought they should be pro (nice) capitalists instead!

There was a perception that the government would seek to divide the opposition to their plans; pitting private sector workers against public sector workers and seeking to convince those whose only pension is the state pension - which the government is cutting - that they would benefit from an attack on the "gold-plated" pensions of public sector workers.

What should emerge after N30 is
* a trade union organisation with more self-confidence,
* more active involvement of the members and therefore
* more democracy.
* links between different unions fostered by SERTUC
* A greater role for trades councils as a general staff for local trade union action.

The SERTUC banner will lead the mass demonstration in London.

Martin Gould SERTUC president

Paul Nowak 'cuts are ideological not deficit-related. Else why millions for free schools and Nhs

reforms?'

Glyn Hawker UNISON 'mutualisation - they are stealing our words as well as our money and

jobs...BMA and the Royal Colleges oppose NHS reforms'

Alex Kenny (NUT executive) congratulated NAHT on their overwhelming vote for strike

action ... The first ever.

Pete Kavanagh of UNITE stressed the importance of getting private sector workers on our

side. We divide, they rule. We unite we win.'

Noel Glover NAHT praised the unity shown by the lobby of parliament involving all teachers'

organisations acting together. 'to watch an MP being given a talking to by a head teacher was

priceless. '

Martin Powell-Davies - NUT executive and SERTUC Public Services Committee Chairman

From left to right: Chris Lines NASUWT Jean Roberts ATL (standing) and Mark Campbell

UCU. the discussion was about escalating the action post N30 and to what extent

government would seek to 'divide and rule'

Derek McMillan WSTA Helpline co-ordinator

Opponent wavers - now's the time to push ahead with firm pensions action!

2011-11-02T13:40:00.003Z

The full details of the supposed 'pensions offer' to unions are still to become clear but the conclusion that we have to drive home is that our campaigning and the threat of Nov 30 IS having an effect!

The Government is being forced to offer some concessions. With our opponent wavering, now we have to drive ahead with the biggest and strongest action on November 30 - and certainly not take a step back.

However, the concession that they've made so far appear (to be confirmed when we hear further details) to be minimal.

From what the press have said:
* It's still 'pay more' - so still a massive pay cut while we suffer a pay freeze and inflation rockets.
* It's still 'get less' - with career averages and CPI. Even with slight changes to accrual rates, Cameron's claim in Parliament just now that a teacher will get more when they retire than they would now just doesn't add up. Mind, of course, after eight years extra contributions, you'd hope to get paid some more when you eventually retire!
* It's still retire older - unless - and this seems the only concession, you're over 50 or so, in which case, it seems you'd still be allowed to take your pension without reduction at 60. However, this is the cheapest possible concession, because the pension workers had already 'banked' before any new pension changes come in was always going to be protected - so this will only be a few years extra proetction for workers already close to retirement.

It also seems to be the same old lies about 'unaffordable' pensions, without any proper valuation to back up their assertions. It's the same old proaganda that we should accept cuts and just be grateful that we're not as badly off as private sector colleagues who have had their pensions stolen off them already.

Brendan Barber wouldn't be drawn on the TV as to whether unions felt these were 'significant' concessions - because they aren't - and we should make it very clear that they're not. Let's hope all unions see it the same way.

Cameron and Alexander may have done us a favour. For now, when members have asked their reps 'but what's the point in striking, this Government never retreats', there's been little concrete movement to point to. Now there is. But they'll need to retreat a lot further than this for us to end our action!

Martin Powell-Davies

November 30 marches and rallies - details

2011-11-02T13:36:00.005Z

London - Assemble 12 noon at Lincolns Inn Fields - march to open air rally on Victoria Embankment (stage will be set up close to Westminster Bridge).

Calderdale - Rally 10am outside Halifax Town Hall

To see a growing list of other events, visit the False Economy site on:

http://falseeconomy.org.uk/nov30/uk/all

Send support to Langdon School

2011-10-30T10:46:00.000Z

There is a very serious dispute developing at the Langdon School in Newham. NUT members will be taking strike action for the second time next week on Wednesday and Thursday 2 and 3 November.

The basis of the dispute is that there is oppressive management and unreasonable workload. The oppressive management speaks for itself. The unreasonable workload stems from ad hoc and often conflicting decisions being made, which impact on teachers and their day-to-day work.

NUT members at the School will welcome messages of support from both Associations and individual members. Such messages should be sent to Emma Taverner and Andy Brown at nutlangdon@aol.co.uk

Martin Powell-Davies

Gold-plated

2011-10-29T10:07:00.003+01:00

Public sector pensions are gold-plated. You have only to read the Daily Mail or the Express to know that. A pity this image won't be
appearing in your bank account any time soon. The average teacher pension is 10000.

However, there are exceptions to the rule of public sector pensions. Margaret Thatcher has received £535,000 for ex-PM duties from a little; fund - well obviously a rather large fund - called the public duties cost allowance. Major and Blair have also had very nice golden
handshakes (Major 490K and Blair 169K) from this fund.

Remember that when some government minister tells you the nation cannot afford your pension.

Derek

We're worth it!

2011-10-28T10:21:00.001+01:00

The government is not at all sure it can afford the scheduled CPI-based increases to pensions - about five percent. However you can rest assured we are 'all in it together' ... except the bosses of major corporations who have received ten times that increase in remuneration. Apparently this is quite fair because they decide their own remuneration and they think they are worth an average of 2.7 million per annum.

The leadership of Unite has correctly branded this as "obscene" but Len McLusky's solution is to give greater power to shareholders to curb directors' pay. One can't help wondering why a trade union leader isn's saying "what about the workers?" It is no use for union leaders to stop short in pious trepidation before the power of big business. The workers in these corporations could give you a very accurate picture of how much use these directors are and whether they should be given house-room let alone a salary.

It does however suggest a very simple solution to the pension crisis. Let pensioners award themselves a 50 percent increase - because we're worth it!

Derek McMillan

Education Lobby takes message to MPs

2011-10-26T15:59:00.004+01:00

A snaking line of umbrellas formed outside Parliament today as teachers and lecturers queued to meet their MPs for the joint education union Lobby of Parliament.

More MPs seemed keen to talk with lobbyists than on some previous occasions - no doubt because they realise the breadth and strength of the pensions campaign and the threat posed to the Government by the mass action threatened for November 30.

A number of teachers commented that the event could have done with a collective focus that brought teachers together - no march or rally was organised. Nevertheless, hundreds of copies of the latest 'Classrom Teacher' were given out. Download a copy from the main Classroom Teacher website.

Let's get every school on strike on N30!

2011-10-24T13:00:00.003+01:00

Across Britain teachers, support staff, civil servants, lecturers, council staff, healthworkers and other public sector colleagues are getting ready for the biggest co-ordinated day of national strike action seen in generations.

What did the Government expect? That they could steal away our hard-won pensions and that we would sit back and do nothing?

That they could freeze our pay while inflation rockets and then expect us to meekly accept big hikes in pension payments too?

That they could raise our pension costs by over 50% while lowering the employers’ contributions in order to cut spending and cheapen the cost of privatisation?

That we would happily work on ‘til 68 only to get a smaller pension?

That we would accept their lies about ‘unaffordable’ pensions when even official figures show that these attacks are just a ‘tax’ on public sector workers to pay for the deficits created by the bankers, profiteers and speculators?

The joint action by NUT, ATL, PCS and UCU on June 30 gave the Con-Dem Government a clear answer. On November 30 we can give an even firmer ‘NO’ to these attacks.

Just as the unions taking action in June warned, this Government was never interested in serious negotiations. But if we stand together - on N30 and beyond - they can be made to think again!

Countdown to N30:

Help win the ballots so we can all strike together :
If you are an NUT or ATL member, you are already covered for action on N30 - even if you didn’t vote in last term’s strike ballot.

But we can all help encourage colleagues who do need to ballot to vote YES for strike action! Call a joint meeting, speak up at a staff meeting, talk to your colleagues:
UNISON - ballot closes on Nov 3
NAHT - ballot closes on Nov 9
GMB - ballot closes on Nov 16
NASUWT ballots from Nov 4 - 17

Get to your local meeting and plan for joint action :
Ensure your school is represented at local briefings on strike action.
Organise joint union meetings and activities where you can to prepare for joint action on November 30.

Get our message out to parents & the community:
Public meetings and leafleting can explain why we are striking - and cut across media attempts to turn parent against teacher, private sector worker against public. The TUC have called Nov 19/20 as a weekend of action - so plan for joint union stalls in town centres.

Ask Heads to send letters home to parents explaining why we are on strike - or leaflet at school gates.

Explain, encourage - get everyone out on strike :
Organise in every school, explain to every colleague what these attacks mean, why we cannot afford NOT to strike, and how we all need to strike together on November 30.

Collect for a hardship fund to help your hardest-hit colleagues take action. Look on union websites to answer queries about strike action.

Make plans for the day …
Perhaps start with a picket-line - at your school or another workplace - a good way to publicise our action. Arrange a local meeting-point before moving on to your local rally or march. Bring your own banners!

In most areas plans are still being finalised for the day - local union branches should be circulating information as soon as details are confirmed of the assembly points for local demonstrations.

But start spreading the word now - November 30 is not a day to stay at home catching up on sleep or lesson plans! No, it’s a day to come out together and show this Government that we’re not going to put up with pensions robbery.

… and for what’s next after N30 …
Be prepared for escalating action after Christmas.

Support Libyan Teachers

2011-10-21T12:27:00.000+01:00

Rodney Kay - Kreizman writes:

Given the new situation that looks now like stabilising, following the
demise in very unpleasant circumstance of its erstwhile dictator
"Ghaddafy" perhaps this is the right moment- to turn our attention to
strengthening our links with the Teaching Union/ Unions and about
time for us to
look to some material aid and sustenance to Trade Unions that have
been suppressed and harassed for 40 odd years under the tyranny of
dictators rule.

I think that we should all now look to see what we do to give
immediate "Medical Aid " perhaps via- Medecine San Frontier's (MSF)
which is a charity that delivers over 85% of its donations in Aid to
the recipients directly-and humanitarian support- political support-
and of course look to see where we can effectively support the Teacher
Unions that will now be emerging from the ruins that many parts of
Libya are at present.! A £50 donation to M.S.F. for Libya Appeal
would be a start.

Perhaps the National Executive ought to send a small (2/3 persons-)
not necessarily Executive
members delegation to Tripoli, with the express purpose of
investigating what can reasonably
be done to furnish aid- and how that can be channelled in the most
efficacious way- without half of it being lost "en passent "- as often
happens in these situations !

I am mindful that we have a major action coming soon and perhaps we
can have collections on that demo march for both Palestine Medical Aid
and Libya MSF . ? I think as the largest Teachers Union we have to
show we care about those in real need of Medical Attention in the two
big areas where its most needed.

Best Wishes

Fraternally

Rodney Kay - Kreizman
Merton Div (Vice president) NUT

NUT Conference Motion on Workload

2011-10-15T07:32:00.000+01:00

NUT Associations can submit motions for 2012 Annual Conference at a quorate General Meeting held on or before November 15. Please consider passing the following motion on workload:

Conference notes that despite the promises made at the time of the ‘workload agreement’, excessive workload, both in terms of overall hours and the intensity of work within those hours, is becoming worse, not better. This is in clear breach of the “commitment to secure downward pressure on excessive hours” contained in the Pay and Conditions Document.

Conference fears that the government's cuts programme, the so-called ‘standards agenda’ and further attacks such as the worsening of performance management arrangements, will all contribute to a further deterioration in levels of workload and stress.

Conference notes the motions and policies agreed at previous annual conferences recognising that alongside defending pay, pensions, opposing cuts and the expansion of Academies and Free Schools, tackling excessive teacher workload and the resulting stress must remain one of the key objectives of the union.

Conference recognises that the Union has acted on Conference policy by:

(i) drawing-up a model work-life balance policy;

(ii) highlighting key workload objectives in union publications.

(iii) developing a model contract setting out the union’s workload objectives

However, Conference recognises that the Union has to develop a far more effective strategy to make sure that these policies and objectives are implemented in practice. Conference therefore instructs the Executive to draw up an action strategy for implementation over the coming year, which should include:

a) highlighting the union’s support for school groups wishing to ballot for action where negotiation has failed to resolve workload issues;

b) seeking to coordinate ballots across schools where possible;

c) seeking to identify key workload issues which could provide the focus for wider campaigns, up to and including national ballots for both non-strike sanctions and strike action to secure concrete gains around these issues;

d) approaching other teacher unions to seek to develop a united action strategy;

e) holding regional reps briefings to energise and make effective such a workload campaign, alongside the other key campaigns being conducted by the Union.

Pensions: It’s still “pay more, get less, retire older”

2011-10-15T07:31:00.001+01:00

Kevin Courtney, NUT Deputy General Secretary, reported to the NUT Divisional Secretaries Briefing this morning on the latest news from the talks with Government about their plans to cut public sector pensions.

There was clearly no point in describing these talks as ‘negotiations’ as the Government is still showing no sign of seriously negotiating an acceptable agreement. Instead, they have announced a ‘cost-ceiling’ which places such a tight budgetary strait-jacket around the schemes that there is no real room for genuine negotiation. As Kevin put it, they might as well be asking us “do you want your left arm or your left leg to be cut off ?”

The cost-ceiling has been set at 20.1% of salary – that’s an average 9.6% contribution rate for teachers (although for some it will be even more) and just 10.5% for employers. That compares to the very similar 20.5% package currently – but that’s 6.4% for teachers and 14.1% for employers.

As we have argued previously, they want workers to pay more, so that employers can pay less. That’s to help them push through public sector cuts and satisfy the privatising vultures who claim that current pension costs are too great for them to make a healthy profit.

Even if the overall cost-ceiling is little changed, the Government claims that rising costs mean that they can only afford to pay out much less on retirement. A small amount of extra costs can be put down to increasing longevity (although how long before that trend is reversed if we’re working until we’re 70!) but a good chunk has been added by artificially changing the ‘discount rate’ to show a poorer return on the pensions contributions that sit in the Government’s coffers.

Their proposed scheme would mean no full pension until most teachers are 68 or even older, a worse ‘accrual rate’ of 1/65 (compared to 1/60 now) and pensions payments linked to the lower CPI instead of RPI. The Government claim that teachers would still earn a ‘broadly similar’ pension to the one we might get now. Well, for a start, that’s only after we’ve worked for perhaps eight more years – getting our pension at 68 instead of 60 or (for some recent starters) 65. Even then, the union’s figures suggest that the payouts would still be less – even after all those years of extra contributions. In other words, it’s still “pay more, get less, retire older”.

The Con-Dems want to show that they are standing firm despite the rising discontent. But our pressure IS having an effect on this discredited Government. Tellingly, Kevin suggested that Michael Gove had, for the first time, hinted that perhaps there could be some ‘flexibility’ over the cost-ceiling. Now is the time to press forward and force Ministers to think again.

November 30 needs to be an even more solid strike on than we had on June 30 – hopefully this time alongside even more other public sector trade unionists. Let’s get everyone out together, every school closed by action, every town filled with mass rallies and marches.

Let’s strike together and force these robbers to get their hands off our pensions.

Martin Powell-Davies

Action needed to stop the Bullies Charter

2011-10-15T07:28:00.001+01:00

Back in July, Tory Minister Oliver Letwin made a speech saying that ‘fear’ of losing our jobs was the way to motivate public sector workers. It seems that many schools are already taking that advice to heart through the unjust use of capability procedures.

On Monday, Lewisham NUT alone will be representing four different teachers at capability meetings. Yet too often these meetings have little to do with the abilities of staff but much more to do with managers trying to scapegoat individuals for the pressures facing schools from cuts and the threat of privatisation. This includes the latest threats to force primary schools that don’t meet imposed ‘floor’ targets into becoming Academies.

In a session on ‘capability’ at the National NUT Divisional Secretaries meeting that I am attending this week, colleague after colleague spoke out about the abuse of such procedures: resentment at being labelled inadequate by observers that have long since forgotten how to teach themselves, unrelenting criticism but a complete lack of genuine support, the destruction of confidence and discrimination against older staff in particular, the deliberate undermining of staff by moving them into classes outside their area of expertise, the lack of any chance to appeal against unjust targets and judgements – leading staff to resign rather than risk the chance of dismissal … the list went on.

But we ain’t seen nothing yet. By next September, the Government plans to have ripped-up the current Capability and Performance Management legislation and introduced new guidelines which the NUT has accurately described as a ‘bullies charter’.

The proposals get rid of the initial ‘informal’ capability period, so immediately raising the stakes for teachers facing these procedures. Performance will be matched strictly against ‘professional standards’ – in practice threatening ‘post-threshold’ staff with the sack if their observations are only ‘satisfactory’ instead of being ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’. The annual ‘three-hour rule’ limiting classroom observations will be abolished allowing a never-ending cycle of destructive scrutiny and monitoring of staff.

A further dangerous proposal is that schools could introduce ‘probationary periods’ for all new appointments, not just newly qualified staff. This would allow ruthless employers to rule through a climate of fear constantly threatening new staff with the loss of their job – just as Letwin suggests.

Capability threats are often also made against staff who are ill. Perhaps unsurprisingly in the present economic climate, we were presented with evidence from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development finding that 28% of employers report an increase in the number of people coming to work ill in the last 12 months. Some Mental Health experts are pointing to the dangers of ‘presenteeism’ rather than ‘absenteeism’ where staff are forcing themselves into work instead of taking sickness absence.

These attacks are already threatening the health and well-being of many teachers. Under the new regulations, things could get much worse. Yet, unlike Letwin’s claims, they won’t improve education, they will destroy it. Demoralised and stressed staff do not make good teachers. High staff turnover with schools driving out experienced teachers will destabilise education even further.

They also threaten union organisation. Their aim is to bully and intimidate staff so that we are too frightened to come together and stand up for ourselves – and for education.

These attacks have to be fought collectively. We discussed unions drawing up a model policy that protects teachers against these new proposals. However, it will take action to make sure such a policy is implemented. That action needs to be national action if we are to successfully oppose this latest threat facing teachers.

Martin Powell-Davies

UK Disability History Month

2011-10-10T08:51:00.001+01:00

Sue Saunders writes:

UK Disability History Month was launched for 2011 on Thursday 22nd September at the TUC, Great Russell Street.

This is a crucial time to celebrate the contribution of disabled people to our society, now and in the past. We seem to be under attack on all sides with cuts in our livelihood, benefits and housing. We are made out to be cheats and liars in parts of the popular press. Hate crime is on the increase as we are increasingly picked upon to vent people’s frustrations with the current economic situation.

Yet disabled people have always made a terrific contribution to humanity. Think of just a few from history-Julius Cesar, Milton, Isaac Newton, Beethoven, Horatio Nelson, Emily Dickenson, Harriet Tubman, Florence Nightingale, Albert Einstein, Helen Keller, Franklin Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, Van Gogh, Frida Khalo, Virginia Wolfe, Paul Klee and Alan Turing to see our impact. More recently, David Blunkett MP , Ian Drury, Richard Branson, Stephen Fry, Bill Gates, Dame Tanni Grey Thompson, Dame Jane Campbell, Lord Low, Alison Lapper, Evelyn Glennie, Oscar Pretorius, Betty Jackson, Stevie Wonder are a tiny proportion of those who have made a difference and would count as disabled people under the Equalities Act.

Disability History Month 22nd November to 22nd December is already supported by more than 80 organisations. It provides an annual focus for the wider community to develop a more positive attitude towards disabled people and better understand the barriers we face in society, which despite improvements in recent years, is still largely hostile to us.

Schools, colleges, workplaces, trade unions, councils, community and disabled people’s organisations throughout the UK will be holding events to celebrate UKDHM, discover our history and to challenge the negative stereotypes that lead to discrimination.

At the pre-launch contributors will be :- Penny Bechizza-Being Deaf now and in the past,, Michelle Daley-Black disabled experience in the UK, Micheline Mason, poet- ‘Sorry I don’t Have the Time’, Katherine Quarmby- author of ‘Scapegoat’, Richard Rieser-UKDHM 2011, Dr. Sonali Shah,-author of ‘Living as a Disabled Person 1940s,1960s,1980s ’

For more information on UKDHM go to website www.ukdisabilityhistorymonth.com or contact Richard Rieser, UKDHM Co-ordinator 07715420727 or rlrieser@gmail.com

Over 30,000 march in Manchester

2011-10-02T21:35:00.003+01:00

There was a huge turnout at today's 'March for the Alternative' outside the Tory Conference in Manchester.

Paul Gerrard from Bury NUT reports:

We have had a fantastic demo in Manchester today, which exceeded expectations. Sky and BBC both reported 35 000 on the streets of Manchester today.

A key place was taken by 200 BAe workers from Lancashire plants threatened with massive redundancies, and there was fury on the part of demonstrators as we passed the Tory Convention complex.

UNISON banners and pennants galore, big sections from Unite and GMB. The NUT contingent was one of the largest and most coherent of all, with good support from NAS/UWT.

All in all this was a big confidence boost and augurs well for the planned strikes on 30th November.

Christine Blower got the chance to explain to the BBC what the NUT and the trade union movement was demanding: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-15142672

October 26 - March route confirmed

2011-10-02T16:01:00.000+01:00

On October 26, Let’s deliver a final notice to Westminster:
HANDS OFF OUR PENSIONS OR WE STRIKE!

Join the Joint Union March and Lobby:
ASSEMBLE at midday, Victoria Gardens,Westminster, SW1;
MARCH to the Dept. of Education to hand in the mass petition.

All of the main teaching unions - ASCL, ATL, NAHT, NASUWT, NUT, UCAC and UCU are backing this joint march & lobby on Wednesday October 26. Every school is being asked to try and send at least one representative to give Government a final warning - back off or face the consequences.

The march gives us a chance to dust off the flags and banners from June 30 once more. Media coverage of the event will be a timely reminder to union members that are balloting to return their ‘YES’ vote for action as well!

SIGN THE PETITION !
Even if you can’t make it to London in half-term, make sure everyone in your school signs the mass petition. More details on: www.decentpensions.org.uk

Support the Jarrow March 2011

2011-10-02T15:55:00.003+01:00

Teachers and students work hard for the exam results that are meant to open the door for our school leavers to full-time work or further study.

Yet, this summer, 200,000 have been left without a university place. The scrapping of the EMA has stolen away vital financial support from many thousands more 16-19 year olds. 1 in 5 young people are already unemployed – and the cuts mean there is worse to come.

Youth deserve better - but, as we've found over teachers' pensions, to defeat cuts and defend your future, you have to organise. But that's exactly what 'Youth Fight for Jobs' are doing.

From this weekend, they are starting their march along the route of the original Jarrow march on its 75th anniversary to demand:
· A massive government scheme to create jobs which are socially useful and apprenticeships which offer guaranteed jobs at the end - both paying at least the minimum wage, with no youth exemptions.
· The immediate reinstatement of EMA payments, expanding them to be available to all 16-19 year olds.
· The immediate re-opening of all youth services that have been closed, including reinstating sacked staff.
· The scrapping of ‘workfare’ schemes - benefits should be based on need not forced slave labour.
· A massive building programme of environmentally sound, cheap social housing.

There's already been some excellent press coverage, with more information and up[dates being posted on the Jarrow March website: http://www.jarrowmarch11.com/

I’ll be backing the march – as is my Local NUT Association in Lewisham.

I hope teachers and all trade unionists will be welcoming the marchers right along the route and publicising this tremendous initiative in our schools and workplaces.

Martin Powell-Davies

All Out on November 30!

2011-10-02T15:50:00.006+01:00

The battle lines have finally been drawn – on 30 November (N30), between two and three million public sector workers will be on strike to defend their pensions.

( from the latest National Shop Stewards Network bulletin - see www.shopstewards.net )

In every meeting, the message has to be hammered home that we shouldn’t pay the price for the bankers’ crisis. As well as hundreds of thousands of workers in both the public and private sectors losing their jobs, millions have seen their income hammered by pay freezes and changes to contracts. Now Cameron and Co. want public sector workers to take another pay cut by increasing pension contributions!

The first job is to win the ballots with an overwhelming vote. Joint meetings have to be organised in every workplace. Members of PCS, NUT, UCU and ATL unions that were out on 30 June and have live strike mandates (i.e. they DON’T need to ballot again) should give confidence to others to vote YES.

These can be supplemented by public meetings and rallies in towns and cities to draw in others, particularly workers in the private sector, who also face job losses and cuts to their pensions and pay.

These events should also begin the debate about what happens after N30 to ensure that the mood is built on rather than dissipated after one day. The government should be warned that further co-ordinated strike action is planned if they don’t back off.

On 30 November every town and city should be filled with pickets and huge strike demonstrations. These should reach out to all workers and their families, friends and their communities, including young people and pensioners.
A victory for public sector workers would raise the confidence of all workers that it’s possible to win.

* HOLD A MEETING IN YOUR SCHOOL - Encourage all staff in NAHT, NASUWT, UNISON, UNITE and GMB to vote for strike action so that we can all be out together on N30.

* WE CAN’T AFFORD NOT TO STRIKE - Winning this battle will mean giving up pay when we take action - but losing it will mean pay being stolen away every single month in extra pension contributions.

Maude the Pension Pilferer

2011-09-29T19:59:00.001+01:00

Maggie Thatcher was Maggie the Milk Snatcher - a byword for Tory
penny-pinching cruelty. Francis Maude will go down in history as Maude
the Pension Pilferer. If we let him get away with it.

The government has already reneged on a solemn and binding undertaking
(and such things are two a penny with politicians) to link pensions to
increases in the cost of living. By sleight of hand they have invented
a brand new measure of the cost of living and !surprise! it comes up
with a lower figure than the retail price index. Far from sympathising
with the pensioners the privileged and pampered politicians are
pinching their pennies.

The government has refused to negotiate in good faith with the public
sector unions. They behave as though attacking the unions were more
important than making a grown-up decision over public sector pensions.

All of the teacher unions are acting together to lobby parliament on
26th October. This is where Maude's union bashing has got him. Firstly
the ATL, most inoffensive and moderate of unions, has taken strike
action for the first time. Now the Secondary Head's union ACSL is on
the march. And if the Tory Party cannot depend on the ACSL they cannot
depend on anybody.

Maude should stop pretending to be a reincarnation of the blessed
Margaret and remember her ignominious defeat over the Poll Tax. It is
a pity the Labour leaders are so weak and willing because the Con
Dem's wouldn't last five minutes against a half-decent opposition.
Instead we have Ed the strike-breaker and a load of Balls about
supporting cuts from the shadowy Chancellor.

Trade Unions deserve better representation than Labour can provide -
we need a new workers' party.

Free Schools = Freedom to privatise education

2011-09-24T22:28:00.002+01:00

Martin Powell-Davies

Earlier this month, the first 24 of the Coalition’s new ‘free schools’ opened. Michael Gove claims that they will end a ‘state monopoly’ in education and give ‘freedom’ to parents to set up schools that meet the needs of their children. But what kind of ‘freedom’ is really on offer from this Government of cuts and privatisation?

What are free schools?
Free schools are a new kind of Academy school. Like Academies, they receive state-funding directly from Westminster but are independent of an elected Local Authority. Instead, they will be run by unaccountable sponsors, predominantly big businesses.

Rather than being converted from existing schools, free schools will typically rely on available accommodation such as empty office blocks. As a result, in Sweden, where free schools were first tested out, many lacked facilities such as libraries and play space.

Government legislation presumes that where new schools are opened, they will be free schools, not Local Authority community schools. This is a real threat in areas like London where there is a growing shortage of pupil places.

Freedom to make profits out of tax-payers’ money
We know that when Tories talk about ‘freedom,’ they really mean freedom for big business to make profits at our expense. Free schools will be no different.

Five of the 24 initial free schools will be run by existing Academy chains from the start. As Sweden has also shown, eventually most free schools will end up being taken over by these big edu-businesses.

Academies have not been allowed to be run for a profit but free schools will be different. Under pressure, Gove has stated that free schools are not going to be able to make profit – but only ‘at the moment’. But, as in health and other public services, that won’t be good enough for the private sector vultures.

Freedom to cut costs and quality
The privateers plan to cut costs by attacking pay and conditions and employing cheaper staff. That’s why free school legislation means they won’t have to employ qualified teachers. Nor, like all Academies, will they have to abide by national terms and conditions.

Claims that free schools will offer ‘smaller class sizes’ are inevitably an illusion. Swedish free schools have worse pupil teacher ratios than municipal schools. They also employ a far lower proportion of qualified teaching staff.

Even if the Government throws some additional bribes at Free Schools and Academies in the first-place, that money is at the expense of other schools as the Con-Dems cut overall expenditure. The £130 million start-up costs for the first free schools have been found by the money saved by cutting the Building Schools for the Future funds that were desperately needed to rebuild underfunded Local Authority schools.

Freedom from democratic control
Free schools are part and parcel of the Government’s agenda to cut and privatise public services. They hope to remove so many schools and services from local council control that Local Authorities effectively cease to exist.

When all the main parties in our Town Halls are voting for cuts, some parents may ask why we should bother to defend elected Councils. However, local councillors are still accountable to voters, even if most try to ignore our wishes between elections. Councils are also able to plan for provision for all pupils across a local area.

Free schools and Academies will create a chaotic ‘free-for-all’ where unaccountable businesses put their interests first. Vital Local Authority support services will be lost. The Academy and Free School education ‘marketplace’ may create a few lucky winners – but most families will lose out.

Freedom over how schools are run?
Parents and teachers are rightly angry at the way both Labour and Con-Dem Governments have used tests and league tables to put schools into an educational strait-jacket. But free schools are no solution.

Some are offering extended opening hours, an attractive option for parents working long hours and unable to afford childcare. But many community schools also try to offer breakfast clubs and after-school activities. But free schools want to do it on the cheap by making teachers work longer hours instead of paying for additional staff to run the extended provision.

Parents, staff and students should have more say in how schools are run. But ‘free schools’ will hand real control to big business sponsors, not local parents. Where free schools are offering curriculum changes, these are mainly designed to help them attract a more privileged clientele – for example Latin classes.

Freedom to select
Despite underfunding and all the pressures on families and young people, most schools are successfully supporting their students. But the Tories and the right-wing press are deliberately trying to undermine comprehensive schools, whipping up parents’ fears to get their support for free schools as a ‘safe haven’ for their children.

Gove has even tried to steal the NUT’s own slogan by claiming that free schools are about offering every parent ‘a good local school’ for their child. In reality, his policy will achieve the opposite, widening division between schools. Their ‘business plan’ aims to enrol middle-class pupils that can secure the highest exam results at the lowest costs. Local Authority schools will be left to support the youth with the greatest needs.

Analysis for the Guardian confirms that the first wave of free schools have predominantly middle-class catchment areas, even those sited in poorer authorities. The dangers of segregation are increased by the numbers of faith groups that have already - or are proposing to - set up free schools. Again, Sweden’s experience shows that free schools have led to a widening class divide between schools. Instead of ‘freedom, they promise more inequality.

Some facts on Sweden’s school reforms:
• The proportion of teachers with a teaching degree in Sweden has decreased by approximately nine per cent since the early 1990s when Free Schools were introduced – from 94 per cent in 1991 to fewer than 85 per cent in 2007/08.
• In Sweden the number of qualified teachers in Free Schools (64 per cent) is lower than in municipal (state) schools (85 per cent).
• In addition, the pupil teacher ratio in Swedish Free Schools is worse than in municipal (state) schools - almost 8.5 teachers per hundred pupils in municipal schools; just over 7.5 teachers per hundred pupils in Free Schools.
• Most Free Schools lease building such as disused factories, factories and offices rather than using dedicated schools sites. This means many Free Schools lack facilities for sports, playgrounds, lunch halls and libraries. Whereas every public school in Sweden is obliged to have a library, Free Schools are not.
• In Sweden, 75% of Free Schools are run by private, profit-making companies. Swedish teachers’ union, Laraforbundet, believes that company profits come from:
- The companies renting their school buildings and so not being responsible for long term wear and tear;
- Buildings such as disused offices and factories being utilised;
- Lack of overheads on e.g. sports facilities, dining halls etc.
- A lack of investment in special needs/language facilities and support; and
- The employment of young and inexperienced staff and larger numbers of unqualified teachers.

Strike Against the Cuts

2011-09-23T07:48:00.001+01:00

Wacko!

2011-09-22T06:18:00.001+01:00

A survey conducted by TES has received massive publicity. It shows 49
percent of parents supporting corporal punishment in schools. The more
significant finding which the tabloids did not cover was that more
than eighty percent of parents opposed cutting education spending. I
can't imagine why the gutter press was not interested in that one!

I have taught successfully without the use of corporal punishment for
32 years. It is many years since corporal punishment was allowed in
British schools and in many cases the people who are condemning the
'feral youth'of today did not actually get caned themselves.

A sign of the times was when a private school wanted to utilise a
loophole in the law and carry on caning (sounds like a good film
title). They found the only place they could purchase canes was a sex
shop which could also have provided whips and bondage gear. When this
got into the papers they thought it was not quite the image they
wanted to portray to the public.

I did not go into teaching to hit children, however provocative the
little darlings may have been. I have however had (very rarely) to
physically restrain pupils from harming themselves or others. That is
not punishment. And interestingly the most difficult of the pupils I
have taught in all that time have been beaten by their parents. And a
fat lot of good it seemed to do them.

This does not surprise me. My brother was caned on his first day at
secondary school for 'fidgeting'. His school had substantially more
physical punishment than mine yet by any standard the behaviour at his
school was worse. Perhaps the culture of bullying was passed down from
teachers to pupils. I saw the school bully at my school outside the
head's office on numerous occasions. Did he cease being a bully? No he
became a bully with a sore backside.

There are some issues which the polls showing public support for
corporal punishment seem to avoid. An example would be 'would you be
happy for your daughter to be caned by a male teacher?' An
overwhelming 'NO' shortly followed by 'I will have the law on yer' would
be a probable response. Many people approve of beatings for other
people's children of course, but are not too happy about their own
being beaten.

The other issue involved in the question is corporal punishment for
girls which many parents find abhorrent. It means that exactly the
same offence by a boy would receive a caning and by a girl some other
punishment. How just is that?

I once had the privilege of being driven by a taxi driver who had an
opinion on education. His went a little further than most. He would
have a quiet word with any miscreants and tell them he knew where they
lived and he knew people who knew people who could set their house on
fire. What can you say in the face of such considered judgement? All I
did say was that I valued his input and of course I wouldn't dream of
telling him how to drive a cab.

If anyone chooses to suggest that my classroom must be a haven of
licensed wrongdoing, do spend five minutes there before drawing such a
rash conclusion. After all I would have sought an alternative
occupation if things were like that - you know an OFSTED inspector for
example :)

The caning issue is being used as a diversion from the real problem in
education: a problem correctly identified by parents who
overwhelmingly oppose the cuts. Gove and co really do want to turn
back the clock: unqualified teachers in dilapidated schools for the
poor and only the best for the rich. Of course many of the old
Etonians in the cabinet will have felt the cane. And it cannot be said
to have improved their behaviour one jot.

Three main tasks for every school!

2011-09-21T17:28:00.004+01:00

A massive national day of strike action is being planned for Wednesday 30 November 2011. That's because the Government has time and again refused to listen to the growing anger about proposed changes to public sector pensions. Unions are, of course, committed to negotiations, but unless the Government changes its approach we will have no option but to take action.

Teachers can also play a vital role in helping encouraging colleagues in other unions to vote to take action too.

In addition, the joint union campaign against pension cuts (involving ASCL, ATL, NAHT, NASUWT, NUT, UCAC and UCU) is organising a joint Lobby of Parliament on Wednesday 26 October 2011 to tell Government they have a last chance to back down if they want to avoid escalating co-ordinated action.

A new joint petition has been produced which unions will be handing in on the day. The date is in half-term but we hope many teachers and their families will be able to attend – and join the March and Rally that is also planned to precede the lobbying of MPs.

What every school needs to organise:
There are 3 main tasks BEST ORGANISED BY HOLDING A JOINT UNION MEETING:
1. Mass petition: every workplace to sign and return the petition – you can download a copy on the joint website www.decentpensions.org.uk. It should be posted (preferably by 7 Oct) to Freepost RSSS-GEJE-ATAX, Central Mailing Services, PO Box 16246, Birmingham B11 9FQ.

2. Lobby of Parliament: every school to send at least one representative – use the joint website to sign-up who is going from your school – preferably THIS WEEK (by Sept 23) if you can. You can also use the website to email your MP to ask for an appointment.

3. Encourage all staff colleagues to vote for action (but remember that NUT and ATL don’t need to ballot again!)

To watch an excellent video of the NSSN Rally of TUC Congress that helped add to the pressure on Congress to call for co-ordinated strike action on November 30, visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMQNxIqI088

November 30 named for a public sector general strike

2011-09-14T16:46:00.001+01:00

Martin Powell-Davies

After the TUC Congress ended, 24 unions met to agree together that November 30 will be the day set for one of the biggest co-ordinated strike days that Britain will ever have seen.

Now we have to mobilise in every school to help our colleagues in the unions that will have to ballot - like NASUWT, UNISON and GMB - to get the vote out. We can also use the campaign around the joint petition and Lobby of Parliament on October 26 to help build for a mass turnout on November 30!

Here is the NUT National Press Release:

The NUT supports the call for a first day of industrial action on 30th November 2011. This follows a decision at the TUC for co-ordinated strike action against the cuts being proposed to public sector pensions.

Christine Blower, General Secretary of the National Union of Teachers, the largest teachers union, said;

The Government has time and again refused to listen to the growing anger about proposed changes to public sector pensions. Despite there being no evidence to suggest that our pensions are unaffordable, the Government persists in stating that cuts need to be made.

This is an unacceptable and shameful way of conducting negotiations.

The NUT will be giving its full support to this TUC-led day of action on November 30. The Government has given us, and the other unions taking part, no other option.

Army to open free school

2011-09-06T20:48:00.002+01:00

One of Gove's more hare-brained schemes (and there is a lot of competition) is to have a free school run by army officers with no training in education. This will teach the 'feral youth' to behave of course.

Let us remember James Collinson, 17, Geoff Gray, 17, Sean Benton, 20, and Cheryl James, 18. They all died from gunshot wounds in unexplained incidents at Deepcut Barracks. Altogether there were 100 allegations of sexual abuse and bullying at Deepcut. The police investigation was deeply flawed because the military closed ranks.

The Commons Defence Select Committee report accused the Army of failing in its handling of bullying.

The Adult Learning Inspectorate said the armed forces' own data showed about one in 10 military personnel suffered bullying or harassment.

"Much of this is condoned as 'traditional', even though it is officially forbidden," it said.

"The newest recruits, women and people from minority ethnic groups are particularly vulnerable."

Still Gove will claim this is all in the past and couldn't possibly happen in the future. To quote Mandy Rice Davies, "he would say that wouldn't he?"

So send your children to Colonel Blimp's Academy. It'll toughen them up.

As the summer ends - prepare for action

2011-08-30T16:47:00.001+01:00

Martin Powell-Davies, member of the NUT Executive

As teachers get ready for the new term, we also need to get ready for further action to defend pensions.

Much as happened over the summer - unfortunately, much of it all too predictable:

* Economic reports and jitters on the world's stock markets all indicate growing fears that any limited 'recovery' in the world economy is already petering out as we slide towards a 'double-dip' recession.

Far from being a justification for further cuts, these dismal outcomes are the predictable outcome of austerity packages that cut jobs, cut tax income and undermine demand as workers have even less in their pocket to spend. It's another reason to stand up to the cuts in pay and pensions that are being inflicted on teachers and many other workers.

* The disturbances earlier this month in Inner London exposed the alienation of many young people in Inner London - and elsewhere.

Teachers will continue to work hard to encourage our school-students to make the most of their talents - rather than get caught up the dead-end of rioting. But we will also expect politicians to do more than offer hypocritical lectures on 'criminality'. They have a responsibility to provide the jobs and training that can offer young people a real future when they leave school.

* Oliver Letwin, in charge of the Government's privatisation plans, disgracefully suggested that teachers and other public sector workers needed to be motivated by "fear" of losing our jobs.

Schools have been blighted for too long by a bullying regime of league tables and inspections. Staff work best through support and encouragement - not fear. But we need to take this warning very seriously. Alongside privatisation and attacks on pay and pensions, the Government is planning to scrap the existing limit on classroom observations and make it easier for schools to bully teachers out of their posts. This will be another key battle in the year ahead.

* Danny Alexander, in charge of the pensions 'negotiations' with unions, released a statement at the end of term making clear that "the Government remains committed to securing the full Spending Review savings of £2.8bn (by) 2014-15".

If the Government is determined to impose a financial straitjacket in this way, there can be no genuine negotiations on offer. It means that Ministers are only prepared to discuss exactly where the cuts should fall! As July's joint ATL/NUT/UCU statement explained "without real negotiations on this key issue, these talks will be a sham - the only issue to be decided being how much more teachers will pay, and how much longer they will have to work to secure inferior benefits".

* The Government then went on to propose how much more we will have to pay from April 2012 - as they phase-in increased pension contributions. They would rise from 6.4% of salary to 7.6% for teachers on the mainscale and to 8.0% for teachers earning over £40,000. This, of course, while annual pay rises are frozen.

As the NUT press release said in response, "There is no surprise in this announcement. It has been obvious from the start that the Government had no intention of listening to reason, and has been determined to implement changes to public sector pension schemes regardless of whether they are necessary or not".

But the press release also rightly concluded:
“We cannot allow this ruthless dismantling of our public sector pensions to go ahead ... We will be working alongside other teaching unions and the TUC to ensure that teachers and public sector workers are not penalised by a Government which appears to be determined to wreck havoc on a pension scheme that is sustainable, affordable and fair... NUT members have taken strike action before to defend their pensions and will do so again if the Government does not see sense".

Mary Bousted, ATL General Secretary, has also been quoted in the press this week warning that the ATL are having to prepare for further action.

As the joint ATL/NUT/UCU statement made clear at the end of last term:
"If the government will not budge from its current position those trade unions who have already taken action will, with regret, need to consider taking further industrial action in November".

The NUT Executive will be meeting shortly before the TUC Congress on Friday September 9th to discuss the latest developments and to prepare those plans for further co-ordinated action.

However, I hope that further strike plans won't just involve the unions who took such solid action on June 30 but that we will be joined by other unions - in education and beyond - in a joint show of strength that will make absolutely clear to the Government that we aren't going to accept their plans to make us pay more in order to get less pension when we retire older.

The NSSN Rally and Lobby of the TUC on September 11th is an excllent opportunity to prepare for the term's battles - and to put pressure on the TUC to help co-ordinate the strongest and widest action possible in defence of public sector pensions - make sure you are there!

Academy Pay

2011-07-31T12:40:00.000+01:00

Richard Knights

Their supporters claim that Academy Schools will protect teachers' pay
and conditions, they've even dangled the carrot that once
'restrictions' concerning national agreements are lifted, teachers
will be even better paid. To date headteachers have been the main
beneficiaries, with six figure salaries and generous perks a standard.

To take the private sector as a model, over the past thirty years
executives have restructured, so that only 'core workers' are well
paid and receive other benefits like pensions and sick pay. It's a
process outlined by Naomi Klein in 'No Logo' (2000), where 'non-core'
jobs like catering, security and administration are out-sourced to
lowest cost providers. In Microsoft there are the 'permatemps' who can
be fired at will or sent home if there isn't any work. As Charles
Handy noted in 'The Hungry Spirit' (1999) modern corporations no
longer guarantee employment but 'employability' ? 'don't count on us,
count on yourself'.

When public sector jobs are privatised there is some protection for
staff under TUPE legislation (Transfer of Undertakings Protection of
Employment), which stipulates that existing wages and conditions must
be honoured by a private contractor. However, new staff can be
employed on different contracts. But even the protection from TUPE is
under threat in the coalition government's 'red tape bonfire'.

So just how safe is teachers' pay? Supply teachers, those itinerant,
mendicant friars of the education world (personal interest declared)
are an interesting case study. The first question is whether a supply
teacher will actually find any work, because under the terms of the
2003 Remodelling Agreement schools can use cover supervisors or higher
level teaching assistants (HLTAs) to 'supervise' classes. Thirty years
ago every council had their own pool of supply teachers, paid
according to national agreements. One by one the council run supply
agencies have closed, to be replaced by lower-cost private agencies.
Why are they lower-cost? A supply teacher on the highest class
teachers pay of Upper Pay Spine Three should expect to earn £190 a
day, outside London the highest rate is approximately £130 per day,
with no contribution made to teacher's pensions.

Let's consider the 'non-core' theme as it relates to teaching. The new
Education Baccalaureate has selected academic subjects like English,
Maths, Science, History and Languages as 'core subjects'. If schools
want to save some money they could shave some costs by replacing
expensive teachers in Drama, PE, RE, Art, Music and DT. Some Further
Education colleges are currently changing contracts and recruiting
'instructors' as opposed to lecturers in some vocational subjects. It
is estimated that lecturers could lose £10,000 a year as a result of
the changes. Lecturers in Newcastle are balloting for strike action.
Last year their chief executive Dame Jackie Fisher received a £72,000
retention incentive on top of her salary of £186,000.

Further Education Colleges are a model that some academy schools may
wish to emulate. Before 1992 the colleges were responsible to and
controlled by local authorities and lecturers' pay was determined by
national agreements outlined in a document known as the 'Silver Book'
(the teachers' version is the 'Purple Book'). The 1992 Education Act
established FE colleges as 'incorporated', independent organisations,
elected councillors were replaced on governing bodies by business
people. Almost immediately a war of attrition broke out over pay as
nationally negotiated rates became 'guidelines' allowing some colleges
to opt-out. Lecturers were forced to sign new contracts, that
abandoned the old agreements in the 'Silver Book', with the
alternative of collecting their P45 from reception. Temporary
contracts became the norm. As for the new accountability there were
the funding scams revealed in highly critical reports of Halton and
Bilston Colleges.

Academy schools do not have to abide by national agreements on
teachers' pay, but there hasn't been a concerted campaign to cut pay.
One of the main reasons being that academies are still a small
minority. If any academy did attempt to cut pay there would be an
exodus of staff. But it does raise the question of what would happen
if Michael Gove's dream was realised and every school became an
academy, would there be a race to the bottom on pay?

The 'Brave New World' of competition? In the dog-eat-dog world of
for-profit American higher education Universities spend up to one
quarter of their expenditure on marketing, advertising and
administration ? call centres, glossy brochures and TV advertising.
The one thing they don't prioritise is lecturers pay.

With the vast majority of expenditure being accounted for by staffing
costs, how could schools chisel out savings? At the moment teachers
move automatically up the Main Pay Spine (MPS) until they reach scale
6 and qualify for the Upper Pay Spine, 95% of teachers that apply are
successful. Once academies are free from national agreements what is
to stop them from removing progression up the pay spine? Or to make
the link explicit between pay and results? Then there's the Holy Grail
of every right-wing think tank ? regional pay. Higher pay where there
is more competition for jobs like the South East, lower pay in the
North East.

Other conditions that might come under attack? There's the directed
time limit of 1,265 hours per year. The expectation that teachers will
'go the extra mile' and work in the evening, at weekends or during
school holidays. Once again the model is from America, in Knowledge is
Power Program (KIPP) schools, there's the nine hour school day, with
Saturday morning school and shorter holidays. Worryingly some
potential academies have visited KIPP schools with a view to copying
their approach in England.

In truth there has already been a a substantial erosion in teachers'
job security. When schools closed or made redundancies Local Education
Authorities (LEAs) would find teachers another job within the
authority. Once Local Management of Schools (LMS) was introduced in
1990 schools became more 'independent', the onus was on teachers to
find another job. Temporary contracts were a rarity, now some teachers
never have the security of a permanent contract.

So what will happen to teachers' pay once academies acquire that
precious 'freedom to innovate'? National agreements ditched, payment
by results, regional pay, casualisation, domination by chains like
Serco and Capita? It isn't a done deal, in school after school facing
conversion to academy status there have been successful ballots for
strike action and in some cases the process has been halted.

Academies won't affect teachers' pay? They would say that wouldn't they?

A Warning from Further Education

2011-07-21T17:22:00.002+01:00

Look no further than Further Education to see what future pay and conditions could be like in Academy Schools

The ConDems have managed to push hundreds of schools into academisation through a system of bribery. Heads, who may traditionally have been supporters of comprehensive education, instead are allured by the offer of thousands of pounds if they agree with the government, or cuts if they stay with the local authority. Apologists will claim that the schools are only doing this for financial reasons, that pay and conditions will not be affected, that staff and students will hardly see the difference. However, anyone wondering what conditions and pay for staff working in academies will look like in a few years time needs to look no further than the FE sector. Conditions in FE and 6th form colleges show the massive dangers of educational privatisation.

Before 1992, colleges, like schools, were funded directly by the Local Education Authority. However, as part of the Tory attack on local government, based within the neo-liberal ideology of privisation, competition and business interference into education, colleges were sliced off and turned into independent corporations. The Further and Higher Education Act meant colleges were still under the financial direction of the state, currently in the guise of the Learning Skills Council, however, they had an unparalleled amount of independence.

The biggest attack on teachers in FE is the attack on pay. After 1992, colleges could set pay on a local basis. Collective, national bargaining had gone, with union branches forced to negotiate pay locally. This has meant pay has been held back when compared to teachers the state sector. However, teachers pay, as the NUT has pointed out, has been falling in real terms for years; the fact that FE pay is even below this, shows how crippling the Further and Higher Education Act was. Teachers in primary, secondary and FE should get the same pay which is nationally negotiated. However, this should not be at a rate which recognises the difficulty of the job and educational experience. There should be no splits between teachers in regard to pay, nor a race to the bottom.

However, being separated from the LEA has also meant FE staff have suffered poor conditions. Teachers over the recent period have seen reforms which clarify their roles, protecting them from doing time consuming tasks which take time away from planning, teaching and assessment, such as exam invigilation, cover, displays, collecting money, etc. While these benefits are certainly limited and hardly touch the real issue of workload, they do nevertheless give some protection to teachers.
In FE, teaching staff are expected to do all of this and are often expected to do all the paperwork for the student enrolment, financial arrangements and exam entries. Put simply, by getting lecturers to do the admin and support work, as well as teach, colleges do not have to employ as many administrators, therefore saving money. Consider this a teacher delivering up to 25 hours of teaching per week, planning, marking and tutoring will often have to work a 50 hour week. However, combine that stress with the huge amounts of administration and paperwork and you soon see what could happen if schools leave the LEA and therefore the protection of national agreements.

Academies and Colleges, for the sake of money-saving, can and will ignore national pay and conditions. While TUPE may protect these in the first instance, staff will soon see that their conditions will not improve, with the possibility of new staff being employed on even worse conditions. This is exactly what has happened in FE.

The situation in colleges is untenable for many staff. And it is not just the big issues of pay and workload that help cause stress and depression. Colleges will often employ staff on zero hours contracts, paying them by the hour, making them insecure and easy to sack. Lecturers in some colleges do not even need a teaching qualification, meaning that they are exploited, being used as cheap labour, while the students get a raw end of the deal in regard to teaching and learning. Money for text books, equipment, educational trips is even harder to come by than in primary or secondary. Special educational needs provision, except for students with a statement, is in the hands of the college, meaning this will often be cut to save money. Colleges can pay their management what they like, meaning that principals could receive £200,000 per year while the starting salary for a lecturer could be as little at £17,000. The absence of democracy or accountability often leads to a bullying management, obsessed with results and unforgiving of “disloyalty”.

Of course, all of this is made worse by the fact that the UCU has been hamstrung by destruction of collective, national bargaining. Principals and management, smelling blood, have destroyed the union in many areas. They do not have to agree to facilities time, or even give recognition. While in many areas the UCU has remained strong, through the hard work of its reps and loyalty of its membership, in other places colleges now appear more like private enterprise; using divide and rule tactics in regards to pay and always driving down conditions.

Gove’s academisation of state schools, if not fought, will bring the same results. Teachers, parents and the community must not be convinced by pledges that they will see little difference and that pay and conditions will stay the same. Privatisation of schools means staff, students and the community have to rely on the good will of an unelected board of trustees and a pressurised head. One glance at the FE sector will show you what this means in reality for teachers, their pay and their conditions.

From a union member in a FE College

Plans for Action agreed at July NUT National Executive

2011-07-14T22:31:00.001+01:00

The NUT Executive met on July 14th to review our solid strike action on June 30th - and to lay firm plans for continuing the campaign next term so as to force this discredited Government to retreat.

The June 30 strike exceeded expectations in the number of schools closed by action, the turnout on the day and in the way we convincingly got our arguments across to the press and public.

Over 80% schools were closed partially or totally by strike action. Reports suggest that nearly 80,000 people took part in the over 70 rallies that were held right across England and Wales on 30th June. In every area, NUT members were in a majority, with young teachers to the fore.

The campaign also built the union. Many new school reps have been recruited. Head office was deluged by calls and applications from teachers wanting to join the NUT to take part in the action. On top of the normal membership growth we might expect at this time of year, early indications suggest that at least an extra 6,000 teachers joined the NUT as a direct result of the campaign.

Feedback suggests that the areas with the best turnouts were those that had organised most school meetings and the biggest local reps’ briefings to build for June 30. Every association needs to plan ahead for meetings next term, targeting those schools where we need to get our message across. After the success of June 30, and after a well-earned break, we have to be ready to get straight back into further campaigning and to prepare for further national strike action.

A plan of action for Autumn Term

The campaign steps agreed at the Executive were:

* Continuing to work closely with the ATL, UCU and PCS over negotiations, campaigning and action.

* In addition, continue to seek support for a joint campaign from other teaching unions including the NAHT, ASCL and NASUWT and Scottish and Irish unions - as well as other non-teaching unions.

* Agreeing a further date for co-ordinated national strike action - on a day close to half-term - to go ahead unless negotiations show real progress.

* Before then, building the highest possible public profile and backing for the campaign including by:

A major effort around the ‘Fair Pensions for All Petition" including Saturday stalls advertised to members, circulation to local trade unions etc.

Activities around the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester in October including the TUC-backed regional march, a retired teachers lobby and a major public meeting. Activities could be organised around the Lib Dem Conference in Birmingham as well.

A Mass Lobby of Parliament, probably just before the half-term break, to give final notice to Ministers that, if they don’t retreat, we will be taking further national strike action. This won’t just be a token lobby of a few per constituency. We plan to get at least one teacher from every school, backed by the strike ballot if necessary. We want each school to decide who they will send as their representative to join a queue of thousands of teachers outside Parliament.

Martin Powell-Davies

Petition to the TUC - Don't Let the Tories Divide Us - Call United Action On Pensions

2011-07-09T09:40:00.002+01:00

TUC – CALL 24-HOUR PUBLIC SECTOR STRIKE TO STOP PENSIONS ROBBERY

"Three quarters of a million went on strike on June 30th in a massive show of strength against a concerted attempt by the Tory and Liberal Democrat partners of this millionaire government to make workers pay for the bankers’ greed. Powerful demonstrations up and down the country brought thousands, including many young workers onto the streets in big cities and small towns, many for the first time, determined to defend pensions, and to stop the immediate huge pay cuts that pension changes would mean.

We believe that 30th June was the opening salvo. To win we need to turn this three-quarters of a million into 4-5 million in the next round of industrial action in the autumn, involving all public sector unions, and thereby scuppering the machinations of the government to drive a wedge into the trade union movement between the NUT, UCU, ATL and PCS and the other three big unions Unison, Unite and GMB. Defence of pensions has proved a unifying factor so far, and one of our best opportunities to all come together and collectively force Cameron and Clegg into a massive U-turn.

We, the undersigned call on the TUC Conference on September 11th and the General Council to agree to call a one-day strike of all public sector unions as the next step in this struggle. We pledge to do all in our power to help make such an action a real success".

This petition will be presented to the TUC at Congress House on 11 September on the eve of their conference.

Join us on the march and lobby: Assemble at 1:30pm for an opening rally at Friends Meeting House, Euston Road, London NW1.

Sign up and download a hardcopy of the petition here: http://www.shopstewards.net/sign

Please forward to your friends, anti-cuts campaigners and trade union colleagues.

Martin Powell-Davies

June 30 - What a fantastic day!

2011-07-03T18:09:00.002+01:00

Right across England and Wales, teachers thronged to local rallies and demonstrations, ATL and NUT members marching with striking public-sector colleagues from PCS and UCU as well.

The turnout exceeded expectations. London planned for ten thousand - at least twice as many hit the streets! 5,000 marched in Bristol, Manchester and Birmingham, 4,000 in Brighton, thousands more in Liverpool and Leeds. Even rural Llandrindod Wells held its own march and rally!

Young teachers were to the fore - spurred into action by the pension robbery - but also by workload. They’ll be returning to school more confident to stand firm on that too.

The strike itself also reached further and deeper than our last national action in 2008. The NUT estimate that 85% of schools were closed or partially closed to pupils. Many academies and even some independent schools were hit by our solid action.

Yet support on the school gates and even in opinion polls showed that many parents understood why we had to strike. The public have seen trade unions standing up to Government cuts at last.

Ministers need to be warned - if they don’t back down, they’ll be even more public sector workers on strike together in the Autumn!

Hull: gloves off to tackle Tories

2011-07-03T11:44:00.000+01:00

There were around 1,000 on the demo, not everybody could get into the rally! The march was really positive with a good response from the public.

Mike Whale, who is the NUT branch secretary, had a 'gloves off' debate with a Tory on Radio Humberside.

Mike said: "I lost my temper with him but the journalists clapped me out of the studio!"

Over 700 rally in Exeter

2011-07-03T11:39:00.001+01:00

The UCU, NUT, PCS and ATL strike was solid in Exeter. There were picket lines outside Exeter College, Exeter Prison, the HMRC office, Jobcentre Plus and a DWP call centre.

Striking ATL teachers from private schools even held a small picket.

Nova Gresham, regional official of the UCU explained the strike's importance on the picket lines when she said: "there are many bad things in this world, but to attack peoples' pensions and futures is really disgusting".

She further echoed many of the workers on strike when she explained: "we are meant to be part of a labour movement, but at the moment, only part of it is moving".

It is clear that although the mood was positive, workers understood the need for more united action in the autumn. A packed out rally followed the picket lines, where 500 people crammed in to hear speakers from all the unions.

The main attraction however was Brendan Barber, who while certainly talking the talk about unity and action, fell short of calling for a 24-hour public sector general strike that some other speakers had called for.

The mood of the rally was electric, and the biggest applause came from any mention of further action if further negotiations fail. 700 people then marched in a lively demonstration up Exeter High Street, to a Festival for the Alternative, which featured music, including Billy Bragg, political stalls and great weather.

It is estimated that over 1,000 people were involved in either the rally, demo or festival.

UCU member, Exeter

Suffolk: round one to the strikers!

2011-07-03T11:35:00.001+01:00

Well over 500 teachers and civil servants marched and rallied on 30 June and were cheered and applauded through the streets of Ipswich.

The march was led by a coffin on a bike in which sat a white-haired and wrinkled teacher, with the words printed on the coffin:

'Good morning, class, I am your new teacher today!' highlighting the increased number of years a teacher will need to work in order to get a full pension.

The unity and fraternal nature of the march was another feature and at the rally afterwards, speakers from all the striking unions remarked on this and said: "this is the music of the future".

The teachers' somewhat-unexpected 'secret weapons' - Tory ministers Michael Gove and Francis Maude - scored spectacular own goals over the previous weekend with their clumsy attempts to break the strike.

A PCS national executive member drew the loudest applause from the rally when she clearly outlined the disgraceful role being played by the Con-Dem government in making the public sector pay for the bankers' reckless behaviour.This theme was also reflected by the march's most popular chant: "Cameron and Clegg hear what we say - Make the greedy bankers pay!"

So, locally and nationally, Round One to the strikers! Members leaving the rally and signing the NUT's petition for better pensions across the state and private sectors were in high spirits, talking about and already preparing themselves for Round 2.

Roger MacKay

Two strike meetings for the price of one in Surrey!

2011-07-03T11:34:00.000+01:00

"Camberley has never seen anything like this before" said Ted Truscoe from the NUT as a human stream of mainly young people with balloons, flags and banners marched around the town centre on their way to a rally at Camberley Theatre.

There were placards and banners from NUT, UCU, ATL, PCS and Unison and the new Save Our Services in Surrey (SOSiS) banner. At least six Unison activists (myself included) had taken the day off as annual leave or TOIL so we could be there.

Every other car hooted their support as they drove by and workers cheered from office windows and shop doors all along the route.

When we arrived at the rally, I was taken aside (as I was chairing the rally) and told we would have to do two sittings as the hall only holds 140 and we had over 300 outside! All this from an organising meeting attended by a handful of reps from the striking unions hosted by SOSiS only a few days before.

In the two rallies, all the speakers were local leaders from the striking unions, many of whom had never done anything like this before. Every call for further action got thunderous applause and the mood was certainly there for an even bigger, wider, public sector strike in the autumn school term.

Every speaker called for the other unions to come on board. As secretary of Surrey County Council Trade Unions (SCCTU) I was proud to be invited to chair these historic meetings which I believe mark the start of the rebirth of the trade union and labour movement in the Surrey area.

By Paul Couchman, secretary, Surrey County Council Trade Union Group (in a personal capacity)

Wales rallies against the pensions robbery

2011-07-03T11:22:00.006+01:00

It was reported that 1000 of the 1800 schools in Wales were shut on Thursday.

In South Wales, NUT members were prominent at the 500 strong rally in Swansea where Caroline Butchers, Carmarthenshire NUT and Classroom Teacher supporter, spoke about how the pensions proposals would be a disaster for young teachers. Her comments were received with enthusiasm by those attending.

There were rallies in Merthyr Tydfil and a 1000 strong turnout in Cardiff. Teachers in Powys were to the fore organising a rally in Llandrindod Wells.

Many teachers had joined PCS picket lines earlier that morning and were taken aback by the levels of support from members of the public and fellow trade unionists, making them more determined to hold their own picket lines in the Autumn, if action is necessary.

Many were staggered by the negative press that spewed out of the national media the following day, especially the anti-trade union stance taken by the South Wales Evening Post, which was not a true reflection of the sentiments on the 30th which had been viewed as a big success by all those involved.

Rob Owen

Over sixty strikers joined a rally and march in Llandrindod Wells, Powys. Powys is the largest and most thinly populated county in England and Wales, with no big towns, so a rally of this size, with people coming from over fifty miles away, shows the depth of feeling on the pensions issue.

Speakers from NUT, ATL and PCS described their union members' anger at the attack on their pensions and working conditions. A trade unionist from Remploy reminded people that this was only part of the government's attack on working people and on people with disabilities.

Many schools were closed, particularly a majority of Secondary Schools where staff are angered at the council's money-saving plan to shut many sixth forms and force pupils to travel even more miles for sixth form education.

There was general agreement that the battle is only beginning and that there is a need to set up Powys Against the Cuts to fight the attacks on our jobs and services.

Geoff Jones

4,000 in Brighton

2011-07-03T11:14:00.003+01:00

In a massive show of strength on 30th June, the Brighton and East Sussex Trade Union and Anti-Cuts movement had 4000 people on the streets of our small city.

The NUT delivered solid action as large numbers of schools shut and the huge turnout on the demo was matched by the wider public’s support.

Passers-by clapped the march while bin lorries and fire engines organised by the FBU and GMB turned up to a great reaction from the striking workers.

With the local paper reporting 77% of local people in support of the strike there is a powerful momentum in Brighton among the four unions taking action - and the big public sector unions yet to ballot - for further action if the government doesn’t back down.

5,000 rally in Manchester

2011-07-03T11:08:00.007+01:00

The main chant on the Manchester demo was: "1 2 3 4, we're not paying any more; 5 6 7 8, we won't work til we're 68!"

300 rally in Huddersfield

2011-07-03T11:01:00.003+01:00

This is the NUT-ATL picket at my school - Honley High School in Huddersfield.

We had a joint trade union rally of over 300 strikers in Huddersfield. This was followed up by a short march around the town centre.

There was a strong mood for further action to force the goverment to retreat over its attacks on public sector pensions.

Dylan Murphy
Kirklees NUT

No Race to the Bottom on Pensions!

2011-07-03T10:55:00.001+01:00

In our 3/4 form entry primary school (Avenue Primary, Newham) we have 37 members of the NUT and 3 ATL. All members of both unions were on strike. The school was completely closed on Thursday.

20 NUT members, plus 3 ATL members and non teaching staff plus partners (all LA workers and members of the GMB and UNISON), met up at Stratford and went on to march from Lincoln Inns Fields.

Everyone was impressed by the numbers on the march and the display of unity between the NUT, ATL, UCU and PCS. We couldn't get in the rally and think that future marches should have speakers set up outside and/or the rally should come outside so that all the marchers can take part.

A great day but people are asking what next? Many of our marchers carried 'All Strike together' and 'General Strike Now' posters. The Unions must call on other Unions (public and private sector) to join and extend the action if we are to make the government U turn on pensions and answer the 'unfair to the private sector' claim - NO RACE TO THE BOTTOM FAIR PENSIONS FOR ALL!

Louise (Newham)

Happy to be part of history

2011-07-03T10:52:00.003+01:00

Martin Powell-Davies received this message from a retired teacher who had asked for directions to the London Demonstration. What an example it gives of the widespread support for our action and the growing understanding of the need for all school staff to stand together in our trade unions - even in deepest Norfolk!

Dear Martin

We went and had a brilliant day out with 3000 police to guard us. And did we meet some lovely lovely people from all walks of life from all over London Town.
My wife shut her school in Ipswich despite threats from the Chief of Education: all positive from parents as the chair of governors sent out an informative kind letter; do we want 68 year old teachers? Teachers pension fund is sustainable as is! Many teachers will leave teaching; brill people will not join the profession.

The last two teachers in school joined ATL on Wed and the youngest teacher joined the strike (I will give her half a day's pay she lost as an encouragement for joining us even though she is ATL!). I persuaded 15 MSA and TA to join Unison: the school is now 100% Unionised.

I am a retired teacher and we did have a great adventure together after getting up at 4 am - home by 8pm, exhausted but happy to be part of history.

Granville, Wortwell Norfolk

Upbeat in Coventry

2011-07-03T10:50:00.002+01:00

We had a fantastic day on June 30. Very upbeat, determined and extremely positive.
We had very lively pickets on most of our major secondary schools as well as some primary schools. We had reports of members of the public giving cakes to pickets. Cars were beeping their horns in support.

At 10am we had a short joint rally in Coventry before we went on to Birmingham. This was astounding with 300 attending. It far exceeded our expectations. We have had fantastic coverage in the local media with 4 pages of reports in the Coventry Telegraph. We had the local radio covering events throughout the morning with our members being interviewed. We also had Sky news, BBC and ITV local television covering it.

We had various ways that people got to Birmingham including over 20 of us marching to the train station chanting gathering more support as we went.

The Birmingham rally was brilliant and members were really impressed with the numbers. Perhaps 5,000 marched, the numbers boosted by Birmingham City Council UNISON members who were also on strike against massive pay cuts.The NUT contingent was huge. Loads of shoppers were taking photos and smiling. People, predominantly women clapping as we went by. On the third floor of office buildings, one bloke had a sign saying 'get back to work'. he got booed and there were some shouts of jump! Did not hear one negative comment all day.

On the local TV news the vote in support of the strike action was 62% .

One of our Reps reported that one road worker, working on the road by the pickets walked right up to him almost nose to nose. As you can imagine, he was a little apprehensive as to what this guy was going to say. This rather well muscled worker congratulated him on the strike and said something like, " we need you teachers- you've got the nouse to lead this and do something." With that, he went back to his work.

A fantastic day which has built our union and made it so much stronger with young teachers growing in confidence. It was a real privilege to have been involved.

The question on everyone's mind is- What next?

Jane Nellist

Over 20,000 march in London

2011-07-03T10:49:00.002+01:00

THE STREAMS OF PEOPLE turned to rivers, and the rivers turned into a flood as delegations of striking trade unionists from right across London converged on Lincoln's Inn Fields for the June 30 march.

Many had already come from local rallies and pickets in their own boroughs. There were ten different picket lines outside Lewisham schools and several PCS and UCU pickets as well. £155 for our hardship fund was collected outside Crossways Sixth Form alone!

The march was good-humoured but determined, whistling and chanting as we made our way through the sunshine of Central London. "What do we want - a decent pension - When do we want it - Before we die!" seemed to go down best with the young teachers on the considerable delegation behind the Lewisham NUT banner! Many held placards saying 'All Strike Together' and '24 hour Public Sector General Strike Now’.

There was an electric atmosphere at the closing rally addressed by the General Secretaries of all four striking unions which, like other rallies, launched a Fair Pensions for All Petition demanding that all workers & pensioners have decent living standards in retirement.

Mary Bousted, general secretary of the ATL, won the biggest cheer when she lambasted Ed Milliband for criticising our strike: "He should be ashamed of himself ... If the Opposition will not defend our pensions, then we will."

At the overflow rally outside Central Hall set up to address the many marchers that could not make it inside, James, a Lewisham Teaching Assistant, explained that he had joined the rally today to show his support. To cheers, he said that in the Autumn, UNISON and other school staff unions must all be on strike together.

I asked the marchers to "Look around and feel your strength. This Government may have thought they were going to get away with their cuts but now they know that the trade unions are on the march. In 2005-6 the threat of united action forced the last Government to retreat over pensions attacks. We can do the same in 2011. If we strike together, we can win together”

Martin Powell-Davies

Schools Out organises history trip to Berlin

2011-07-01T14:15:00.000+01:00

LGBT education group Schools Out are organising a guided tour of Berlin from 27-30 August.

The tour offers a heady mix of leading academic interpretations, first hand testimony from ‘survivors’, visits to the key sites and artefacts associated with this amazing city.

The tour aims to celebrate and remember the unique role played by millions of German people in the creation of today’s world-wide LGBT community: from the optimism of the early days, through the visible diversity of the Weimar Republic; then from the bloody suppression of the Nazi era to today's vibrant and re-established Gay Berlin.

Organiser Jeff Evans commented:

“Germany, and Berlin in particular, is the cultural and political birthplace of the modern LGBT rights movement.

“This guided tour is a unique opportunity to enrich your understanding of our collective past. It will do much to remove the imposed silence of our upbringing and bring you closer to that past and face to face with the modern Germany that is doing so much to re-claim and celebrate our rich history.”

The fee for the actual tour is £55, excluding travel and accommodation. Details are available on www.schools-out.org.uk.

Recently, the president and vice president of the National Union of Teachers visited Berlin, where they toured a multicultural school to see how equality and diversity are taught and met some of the city’s experts in LGBT education. After the school tour, they visited the Tiergarten park, where they laid a wreath at the monument to the gay victims of the Nazis.

Gill Goodswen, former NUT president, was moved by the memorial ceremony:

“We honour the memory of the men who were forced to wear the pink triangle, persecuted because of who they loved.

“We honour them by re-dedicating ourselves to protecting and celebrating those, especially the next generations, who are still today persecuted and stigmatised because of that love.

“We also pay tribute to a society that marks past injustice by promoting equality work such as we heard of and witnessed this morning.”

Nina Franklin, NUT president, commented:

“I was especially interested by the lesson focus on the similarities between racism and homophobia.

“The very positive reaction by the young, largely Muslim, audience dramatically exposes the offensive generalisation that Islam and social tolerance are somehow incompatible. Go and try telling these young Berlin Muslims that particular lie!”

Sue Sanders, Schools Out co-chair, was proud to be a member of the NUT:

“I think this is truly wonderful and we are thrilled that the NUT - and in particular the present and previous women presidents - are taking a lead on the issue so seriously and with a clear, professional focus.

“The school visit complements a project that both Schools Out and LGBT History Month are doing with partners in Europe.

“We are thrilled by the NUT’s support, and we hope to learn from their experience, in planning our study trip in August. “

Unity in action

2011-06-30T20:05:00.003+01:00

250 strikers from West Sussex rallied in Worthing on 30 June. Members
of the NUT, ATL, UCU and PCS.

Malcolm Peppiatt of the West Sussex Teachers' Association chaired a
lively discussion of the government proposals to cut public sector
pensions.

The fact that private sector pensions had been cut by ruthless
employers was not seen as a good argument for cutting public sector
pensions. One speaker from the floor said it was the equivalent of
saying that because three houses in my street had been burgled, the
only fair thing to do was to burgle the rest.

The government has not negotiated in good faith. Speaker after speaker
queried why the government had failed to review public sector pensions
so there was some basis for discussion rather than uninformed
assertion.

157 pounds were raised for the hardship fund.
How much has your school raised?

Write to your MP and the local press. Individual letters are the most
effective. We need to win the battle for hearts and minds. This is
doubly so with the hearts and minds of other trade unionists whose
pensions are under attack. Only together can we defeat the Tory
pensions robbery.

And support your local police - they are facing cuts to their pensions
too - they could refuse to do the Tories' dirty work!

Derek

Pictures from the West Sussex rally

NUT FAQs about pensions action

2011-06-19T17:39:00.001+01:00

The National Union's FAQ document has been broken down into chunks - with a few local additions - on the Lewisham NUT website.

HAVE A LOOK AT THEIR JUNE 30 QUESTIONS and ANSWERS:

1 - why is this the right time to act ?
2 - what do we tell the Head about June 30 ?
3 - what if there are only a few NUT members ?
4 - can non-members join the strike ?
5 - can I strike if I didn't vote in the ballot ?
6 - do NUT members HAVE to strike ?
7 - what about supply teachers ?
8 - can I get in trouble for taking strike action ?
9 - Maternity Pay and Strike Action
10 - should schools close to pupils on June 30 ?
11 - Picket Lines
12 - what do I do when I take strike action ?
13 - what if my school has a trip planned for June 30 ?
14 - how much pay will I lose for a day's strike ?
15 - why retiring teachers CAN take strike action

Forest HIll NUT take strike action on June 23

2011-06-18T14:47:00.001+01:00

NUT members at Forest Hill School in Lewisham will be taking strike action over the threatened compulsory redundancy of an English teacher on Thursday June 23rd.

Usefully for schools preparing for June 30, the Head has already had to confirm the closure of the school to pupils, telling parents that this is based on:

"A risk assessment in relation to Health and Safety with the reduced number of staff in school on the day", and
"The fact that the vastly reduced staffing will prevent us from delivering an acceptable curriculum offer on the day".

Obviously, this dispute is quite separate from the June 30 pensions action and Forest Hill NUT members are keen that this dispute is not 'lost' amongst the broader pensions action.

However, there are important similarities. Just as with the pensions dispute nationally, staff are being asked to pay the price for the financial mistakes of others.

The deficit at Forest Hill is not down to falling rolls but mistakes made over the sports centre and playing fields and the high cost of the PFI contract agreed for the new building.

As the press release on the Lewisham NUT website http://local.teachers.org.uk/lewisham/ explains "While teachers’ pensions are being cut by linking them to the lowest CPI inflation index, the PFI contractors are guaranteed annual charge increases based on the highest RPIX index – charges which the school has to pay. It was the Council’s officers that were largely responsible for negotiating this contract – and it is the Council that must now also take responsibility for sorting out the financial mess that they have created. It certainly should not be students and staff who have to pay for their mistakes.

Please send messages of support to Lea Bonnell, School NUT Representative on leabonnell4@hotmail.com and/or to Lewisham NUT on secretary@lewisham.nut.org.uk

A Message to Parents

2011-06-14T23:45:00.001+01:00

Teachers in the NUT and ATL unions have voted by huge majorities to take strike action to defend their pensions from Government cuts.

No teacher takes strike action lightly and we are sorry that children’s education will be disrupted.

However, the scale of the attacks on our pay and pensions has left us without any other choice.

THEY WANT TO STEAL OUR PENSIONS...
The Government wants to make teachers:
PAY MORE: Take-home pay would be cut for many teachers by around £100 a month
GET LESS PENSION: Government plans mean teachers could have their pensions cut in half
RETIRE OLDER: They want to make teachers work until 67 or 68 to claim what they have earned

... TO HELP PAY FOR THEIR MISTAKES
If teachers are being asked to pay more into their pension scheme, why will they end up getting less when they retire? Because the extra money isn’t going to pay for pensions at all.

No, like the rest of the cuts, the Government wants to steal our money to help them pay off the bankers’ gambling debts. They want to impose an extra ‘tax’ on teachers while the speculators who got us into this mess get away with billions in unpaid taxes.

THESE CUTS ARE BAD FOR EDUCATION
Forcing teachers to work on until they are 68 cannot be good for education. How can it be right to leave grandparents in front of classes while school leavers and young graduates struggle to find a job?

Pensions are one of the benefits that attract qualified graduates into teaching. Attacks on pensions will do the opposite. We need high quality schools and public services, not cuts and privatisation.

SO LET’S UNITE TOGETHER AGAINST THE CUTS
We know that many parents and other trade unionists are facing exactly the same robbery. Whether it’s your benefits, your job, your local library or hospital, we’re all being asked to pay for a crisis that was none of our making. We also know that these cuts to our jobs, pay and pensions will do nothing to help improve the economy. With even less in our pockets to spend, these cuts will just make things worse.

We also understand that teachers may be better-off than some others in the communities we work in. But most teachers only retire on a small pension already. Cutting our pensions won’t help save anybody else’s job or pay. It won’t restore the disgraceful cuts that have been made to private sector pensions.

If we are defeated, it won’t just be teachers that lose out. It will only encourage the Government to carry on cutting everything else too. But, if we force them back, other campaigns are more likely to win too!

SUPPORT OUR RALLIES & MARCHES ON JUNE 30
If you have to take a day off work because your child’s school is closed, we apologise. But don’t stay at home - bring your family to one of the joint union rallies and protest with us against ALL the cuts!

Teachers say YES to action !

2011-06-14T21:43:00.000+01:00

QUESTION: If, in 2008 48,217 NUT members voted YES to national strike action and thousands of schools were closed by the action, what will happen on June 30 after ballots where 79,259 NUT members and 22,840 ATL members voted YES - over twice as many??

ANSWER: - work it out yourself!

Let's make June 30 a huge show of strength!

Success in Leicestershire

2011-06-09T17:11:00.001+01:00

The Head at Lutterworth College in Leicestershire has today announced that, "due to the concerns raised by staff and trade unions over a proposal to apply for academy status, the governors are aware that it is clear that they have not carried the arguments and will not be proceeding with a move to academy status this term."

This has followed some hard work by the Divisional Secretary Andy Reeve and the school NUT Rep, John Birkby.

Any messages of congratulation to:
andyreeve@hotmail.com
j.birkby@lc.leics.sch.uk

Make June 30 a massive show of strength

2011-06-02T13:46:00.001+01:00

TENS OF THOUSANDS OF NUT AND ATL MEMBERS have been voting to support a programme of discontinuous action to defend teachers’ pensions. Positive responses from schools around the country give every indication that the ballots will be won. That will allow unions to call a first national strike on Thursday June 30, joined in action by civil servants in PCS and UCU members in many colleges as well.

We have no alternative but to take action. Leaked reports have confirmed that the Government has made no attempt to reach any genuine agreement in their supposed ‘negotiations’. Instead, they have tabled plans for career-average schemes that are worse than anything that even Lord Hutton suggested - they could mean slashing teachers’ pensions in half!

It’s clear that this Government of millionaires wants to destroy our pensions scheme - and smash the public sector unions that stand in the way of their plans to slash jobs and cut and privatise education, health and all our public services.

Make no mistake, we are in for a serious battle that may well require a series of escalating actions, hopefully bringing others on board who have mistakenly stood aside like the NASUWT as well. But, together we are strong. It is the Con-Dems that are divided. We can force them to retreat. That’s why June 30 needs to be a massive show of our strength and determination to stand firm until we win!

Get ready for action:
1. Chase up the last strike votes
We’re going to get a big YES vote - but let’s make sure we get as big a turnout as we can too. Talk to your colleagues, give a reminder at staff briefing. Ballot papers have to be returned by June 14 at the latest.

2. Talk to NASUWT members
The NASUWT’s failure to ballot this term could be used by some Heads to keep schools open on June 30. Rather than go into work, NASUWT members can join the NUT for free up until June 30 and join the strike.

3. Encourage other schools too
Some school groups - perhaps where there is no active rep or in Academies with bullying managers - may not be confident about taking action. Local Associations need to make contact with all schools and reassure members that - once action is sanctioned by our legal ballots - they have every right to take part in this national strike.

4. Organise a hardship fund
A day’s pay is a small loss compared to what we stand to lose from our pensions. However, a hardship fund can avoid any colleague feeling they can’t strike because their finances are already too tight.

5. Ask Heads to close schools
NAHT and ASCL Headteacher unions have supported the joint “Save our Pensions - Now is the Time” poster. We hope that most Heads will agree that schools will need to close if NUT & ATL members are on strike. Staff in other unions cannot be asked to do any work that would have been done by their striking colleagues.

6. Get everyone involved on 30/6
June 30th will be a day for everyone to stand together in action - not stay at home to catch up on your marking! Even if your school is closed to pupils, a morning picket line is a good way to get everyone together - and to make an impact locally - at the start of the day’s activities.

7. Join your local strike rally
Striking unions - NUT, ATL, PCS and UCU - will be putting plans together for local and regional rallies. Just like March 26, these will hit the headlines and raise everyone’s confidence for the ongoing battle. Parents, anti-cuts campaigners and representatives of other unions and should be invited to take part too.

8. Get our message to parents
We need to leaflet parents to say sorry for disruption but to explain:
* Our fight is your fight - forcing the Con-Dems back on pensions helps defeat the rest of their cuts too.
* A fight for education - should classes be taught by a 68-year old?
* A fight for jobs - young workers will have no jobs but grandparents will be forced to stay in work.

NUT produces model work-life balance policy

2011-06-02T13:36:00.004+01:00

Following some of the campaigning work by 'Classroom Teacher' supporters and action taken by Hackney NUT members in particular, the NUT has now produced an NUT model school work-life balance policy.

It can be found on the NUT website under http://www.teachers.org.uk/workload

Action Brings Results

2011-06-02T12:32:00.003+01:00

While teachers around the country are preparing for national action on pensions, school union groups are also taking action in a number of different disputes.

Many determined campaigns are taking place to oppose the spread of Academies. The NUT’s latest ‘privatisation update’ reports ongoing battles in Lambeth, Islington, Barnet, Calderdale and Sefton. Go to: www.teachers.org.uk/node/13251

Classroom Teacher has been contacted about the vigorous campaign at Warden Park School, West Sussex, to oppose plans to form an academy. The plans, which involve the ‘take over’ of a local primary, have generated huge opposition from staff of both schools. All three teaching unions are currently holding in an indicative ballot for strike action, the first of its kind in the county.

In Coventry, UNISON staff also joined NASUWT and NUT teachers taking action against academy plans at Tile Hill Wood school. School students joined the picket lines and have set up a Facebook page, Coventry Youth Against Academies. There will be further strikes at both Tile Hill and neighbouring Woodlands School in June.
These battles follow a successful campaign in Coventry to stop public fields being handed over to Blue Coats academy.

In Liverpool, NUT and NASUWT action closed Shorefields school for the second time in a month on 11 May. The school is in one of the city’s most deprived areas but campaigners fear that, as an academy, it will stop providing education based on the community's needs and will bus in pupils from around the city. Parents successfully lobbied the city council on 24 May, with the council leader pledging his support.

Other stories already listed on the Classroom Teacher blog include a strike against bullying management at Selwyn Primary School in Waltham Forest and two victories in Lewisham where the threat of strike action has helped defend an Art teacher at Deptford Green School and protect posts threatened with cuts in the Lewisham Early Years Advice & Resource Network.

Pride of place must go to the NUT members at Rawmarsh School, Rotherham. After over 10 days of strike action, they have won their battle against mass redundancies.

Disability Conference

2011-05-28T20:46:00.003+01:00

Disabled people are in the front line of the government's attacks on the welfare state. The government has made a critical error. One of many. They assumed that disabled people would be a pushover and they had no allies. Wrong on both counts.

Employment of disabled people is especially vulnerable to public sector job cuts. To add insult to injury the government is seeking to slash the invalidity benefit bill by using procedures to "prove" disabled people are scrounging and forcing them to work .... in non-existent jobs!

Sickened by the government's cowardly attack thousands of disabled people joined the TUC's march on 26 March and thousands took part in the "Hardest Hit" rally on 11 May.

The TUC disability conference on 25th and 26th May showed both the extent of the government's attack on disabled people and the courage and anger of the trade unionists who will stand in their path.

The Daily Mail attacks on benefit claimants echoing the Tories' lies in a cruder form have had the consequence of increasing hate crime against disabled people. The conference heard from John McArdle of Black Triangle on their work opposing defamation and victimisation of claimants.

It was guaranteed that any speaker who mentioned a public sector general strike would be applauded. John also suggested if Labour would not defend the National Health Service then unions should withdraw funding. He stopped short of saying what they should do to seek a political alternative but it was a very popular suggestion.

The NUT was there in force as you would expect and the project of a disabled history month championed by Richard Riesser received enthusiastic support.

IT was a very good conference and will inspire activists to forge the links between disabled groups and the mass of the trade union movement which can bring this government to its knees.

Selwyn Primary School Strike Goes Ahead

2011-05-26T18:11:00.002+01:00

PRESS RELEASE FROM WALTHAM FOREST NUT:

“Too little too late” that was the verdict on the Authority’s offer to resolve the dispute at Selwyn Primary School. Rinaldo Frezzato told the paper, “Our strike went ahead on Tuesday and was absolutely solid. We are grateful for the support we received from UNISON, UNITE and the Trades Council as well parents.”

“ It was a great pity to miss a chance to settle the dispute at ACAS last Friday, the Union was prepared to accept, as a compromise, the Consultant remaining until the end of term. While some progress has been made, they have only offered to investigate what is going on the in the school now. They would make no undertaking as to when the consultant head would return to her own school.

“If they had offered to investigate the situation back in March, instead of just dismissing the teachers’ concerns out of hand, the dispute would have probably been avoided. Now trust is broken, confidence is lost but the impression is still given by holding an investigation now that the teachers are not to be believed - yet we are still receiving complaints about harassment and poor management.”

“We regret the inconvenience further action may cause, however we believe that a situation where an unsuitable manager is being imposed against the will of the whole staff is an untenable one. What the teachers are asking for is perfectly reasonable and sensible. We are asking the Governors to consider the possible long term consequences of their entrenched position and once again ask them listen to their teachers. They know our number if they wish to talk further with us.”

The school also refused to issue permanent contracts to all the staff given dismissal notices unless the Union dropped their objection to the consultant head remaining with no definite date.

“The Union believes that this action may be in breach of Employment Law, whether or not a public body like a school should comply with legal requirements is not something that should be used as a bargaining counter.”

“We have the full support of our members locally, we are receiving messages of support from all over the borough and from many other schools across the country.”

“The action will continue and will be escalated if the dispute continues. We have already requested a two day consecutive action for the week after half term. The Association had its AGM last night and has called upon support and solidarity from all NUT members in the borough.”

Two more reasons to VOTE YES to defend your pension

2011-05-26T15:07:00.001+01:00

1) MPs agree - they CAN afford to pay our pensions - VOTE YES

A House of Commons Committee of Public Accounts report "The impact of the 2007 -2008 changes to public service pensions" confirms what unions have been saying - that there is no need for teachers to be paying in more for their pensions.

The Report says that: "Government projections suggest that the 2007-08 changes are likely to reduce costs to taxpayers of the pension schemes by £67 billion over 50 years".

In an NUT press release, Christine Blower, NUT General Secretary, said; “This report shatters the Government's case for further cuts in public sector pensions. The Select Committee has confirmed the National Audit Office's verdict that costs are falling and pensions are affordable".

“The Committee is right to criticise the Government for proposing further changes without even having considered what is affordable. This is a policy based on nothing short of false assumption and spin”.

2) They want to destroy our pensions scheme - VOTE YES

The latest leaks about the Government’s plans for career-averages confirm that the NUT website’s pensions loss calculator figures - shocking as they are - are actually an UNDERESTIMATE of how badly we could all be hit:

This is what the government is now offering (thanks to Andrew Baisley in Camden NUT for the figures):

For a newly-qualified teacher who goes into the profession at 23, doesn't take any promotions and retires at 65 on UPS3, the government say the average pay of a retiring teacher is £37,795 but their career average salary is £36,031. (Teachers who are promoted will lose even more.)

Current pension scheme for new entrants (1/60ths + normal retirement at 65)
Annual pension = £37,795 x 42 / 60 = £26,456
Government's best offer (Proposed worsening to 1/80ths + normal pension at 68)
Annual pension = £36,031 x 42 / 80 ‐ 16% (for retiring “ early” at 65) = £15,909
Government's worst offer (Worsened even more to 1/100ths + normal pension age at 68)
Annual pension = £36,031 x 42 / 100 ‐ 16% (for retiring “ early” at 65) = £12,727

In short: The government's best offer cuts our pension by 40%. Their worst offer cuts our pension by 52%.

VOTE YES!

Martin Powell-Davies

Two victories against redundancies in Lewisham

2011-05-24T20:05:00.000+01:00

Two small but significant victories for Lewisham NUT have shown how an organised response - and the threat of union action - can achieve success in fighting the threat of cuts and redundancies.

Today, just as a ballot for strike action was about to be issued to NUT members at Deptford Green School over the threat to issue a redundancy notice to a member in the Art Department, the school agreed that it would, after all, be able to redeploy the teacher internally. Previously, our demands to find continuing work within the school had been rejected.

This victory undoubtedly owed much to the impending strike ballot and the clear determination shown by members at last night's NUT school meeting to organise for an overwhelming majority for action.

This follows last week's news that the Council would be saving the posts threatened to be cut from the nationally-renowned Lewisham Early Years Advice and Resource Network. This follows a public campaign to safeguard this vital resource coupled with an indicative ballot of NUT members across Local Authority schools and workplaces which produced an 86% Yes vote in support of Authority-wide strike action.

There are more battles to come - including continuing threats to Children's Centres and to oppose the redundancy of an NUT member at another secondary school. Ballot papers are going out to NUT members at Forest Hill School this week but staff have already shown their support in a 60-strong rally held on Friday lunchtime which was well-publicised in the local press.

http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/9040414.Staff_at_Forest_Hill_School_hold_rally_in_protest_against_proposed_redundancy/

We hope these victories can give confidence to Forest Hill staff - and others - to stand firm to oppose cuts and redundancies.