Nottinghamshire NUT – a guide for members

1.Forced academisation of all schools in England whether they want to or not whether they choose to or not whether they are successful or not 2. Complete de-regulation of pay and conditions for school staff (see slides 10 and 11) 3.An end to university based training and QTS Replaced by four-year “on the job” training accredited by individual Heads 4. Removal of parent governors from schools “Being a parent is not a skill set needed to be a governor.” Nicky Morgan.

1. Undemocratic There was nothing about this in their Manifesto for the general election in Lacking evidence We have written to the DfE requesting the evidence to back their proposals – no reply! 3. A threat to all teachers Whatever type of school you work in all protections will disappear and only statutory minima will apply

The government should be addressing the real problems of: Teacher recruitment and retention Pupil places Increasing class sizes Funding cuts to schools Chaos in testing and assessment Instead Nicky Morgan says: “Teaching unions have a choice, spend the next four years doing battle with us and doing down the profession they represent in the process, or stepping up to work with us.”

 Trade unions  Mumsnet: “government plans are despicable”  Financial Times and The Economist  National Governors Association  Local Government Association  Labour and Liberal Democrats  Many Tory Chairs of Education  And many, many more

“Labour will fiercely oppose these proposals and will work with the NUT to campaign against them.” Lucy Powell (Labour Education Spokepserson) “It makes my blood boil. I’m put in a position where I can’t protect schools. One size does not fit all.” Meg Tilley (Tory Chair of Education, Oxfordshire) “A policy that refuses to recognise local choice and differentiation. A tidy-minded rationalist blueprint supported by a poor evidence base. A large-scale upheaval for uncertain gain.” Roger Gough (Tory Chair of Education, Kent) “ I’m really concerned that this government have got their priorities about how to improve schools and support teachers all wrong. So I want to assure you that you have the support of me and my party in the fight against the government’s plans.” Tim Farron (Liberal-Democrat Party leader) “This is an ideological attack on teachers and on local and parental accountability – an attack which was nowhere in their manifesto at the last general election.” Jeremy Corbyn (Labour Party leader)

 The NUT is seeking to build a broad alliance to campaign against the government’s proposals to force all schools to become academies  We will be lobbying MPs and organising local and national protests  We need to talk to parents and local politicians to get their support

 There is a model motion available to use in local Labour Parties that can also be used in other settings.  Other school based trade unions are obvious allies and we should seek to work with those.  The NUT is already working closely with the ATL on opposing the White Paper.

This is a partial list of some of the matters that will no longer be decided at national or local authority level. Instead they would be decided by academy trust chief executives and their boards:  sick pay level  sick pay rules  length of school year  length of directed hours  length of school day  structure of teacher working day  non contact time/PPA (if any)  class sizes  structure of school holidays  maternity, paternity, adoption pay above statutory minima Continued on next slide

 starting salary  salary structure  all pay progression rules  chief executive salaries  probationary arrangements  teacher qualification  redundancy pay (beyond statutory minima)  disciplinary processes  grievance processes This is an issue that affects all teachers in every type of school Are we overstating the case? An Academy in Manchester has written to staff saying, “We will honour national terms and conditions, while they exist.”

 The threat to pay and conditions is very real and removes all but the most basic protection  For these reasons the NUT is going to ballot all members in all schools for “discontinuous” strike action to defend national pay and conditions

 That national pay and conditions should apply to all schools and for a return to national negotiations We should also fight for a National Teachers’ Contract with:  A limit on working hours, starting with a maximum 48 hour working week  A national pay scale with automatic incremental progression and an end to all forms of PRP  A qualified teacher for every classroom  A pension/retirement age of 60  Cancel the student debt of those entering the profession.

 We are seeking the support of all other education unions  We are also talking to the BMA junior doctors about working together  So we are campaigning to defend education and balloting to defend our conditions of service and give ourselves the possibility of campaigning to improve them

 The ballot commences on Monday May 23  The ballot will close on Wednesday June 22  The intention is to call a one-day strike in July, with additional autumn terms dates announced as well  We need a big turnout and a huge YES vote  It is important that all members understand what we are doing and why we are doing it

 Talk to everyone you know in the NUT, as soon as the ballot papers come out, tell them it is important that they vote ‘yes’  Put your vote in the ‘ballot box’ and encourage others to do it  Talk to students and parents about why we will be taking the action and why it is important to them

 This is the biggest attack on education and teachers for a generation  BUT our side is big and the government is divided – we can stop them  Every NUT member can help us build a campaign to stop them by taking part in the ballot and joining in other activities  Attend the meeting at the White Post Pub on May 5  Please vote YES in the ballot  Twitter #tellNickyNO #handsoffourschools