1. Delivering the Vision Worcestershire NUT 8 February 2017
Professional Unity
Delivering the Vision Worcestershire NUT 8 February 2017

2. The Good, The Bad & The Detail
Our vision for professional unity
Why do we need a vision?
How does this bring us closer to our vision?

3. Our Vision A single union for all teachers A Rep in every workplace
An authoritative voice for the profession

4. Why do we need a vision? Fragmentation of the system
Destruction of terms and conditions
Distortion of the education process
...in short, The GERM!

5. How does this bring us closer to our vision?
Almost half a million members
Fourth largest union in Britain
Clear majority of teachers nationally
Signal to other unions - the start of a process

6. How did we get here?
Annual Conference 2016 Instructed the Executive to proceed
Many meetings of JOG (Joint officer group – 4 from ATL, 4 from NUT - Philipa Harvey, Ian Murch, Jerry Glazier, Gawain Little).
Reports to National Executive.
Both NUT and ATL National Executives then Special Conferences have agreed three documents
Instrument of Amalgamation
Interim Rules
General Rules
These documents underlie the proposal being put to members in the ballot.

7. A democratic union Democratically-elected GS & DGS.
Elected National Executive.
Financial autonomy.
Elected disciplinary panels.
Elected conference delegates carry votes of members.

8. The transition
If agreed by members there is a phased process to bring the two organisations together:
New union a legal entity from Sept 2017.
ATL and NUT sections continue until Jan 2019.
Sections end Jan 2019 – one new National executive, unified local structure.
Election for single GS from 1 August 2023.

9. Transition- members
From Sept 2017 new joiners join the National Education Union.
One membership process.
One joining membership fee for each category of membership.
Current members belong to current section and pay subs of that section.
New members allocated to a section for representation purposes.
Teaching Assistants allocated to ATL section.

10. Transition- executive
During transition ATL and NUT sections continue to have section Executives.
These executive elect a Joint Exec Council (18 NUT, 12 ATL).
Decision making on JEC by simple majority – except if proposal to change general rules or fundamental matter relating to objects – 75% majority required.

11. Transition– local structures
Associations and divisions continue during transition.
Facility time divided between ex ATL and ex NUT officers in same proportion as currently.
Regular meetings of NUT/ATL officers – at least once a term.
Use this period for confidence building and sharing tasks.

12. From Jan 2019 – national executive (1)
New national executive takes office from Jan 1st 2019 (elected autumn 2018).
Next national executive elections to take office Sept 1st Thereafter every two years.
In first election only former ATL members are guaranteed ¼ of seats.

13. From Jan 2019 – national executive (2)
Geographic seats
15 x 4 member constituencies in England.
1 x 3 member constituency in Wales.
1 x 1 member constituency in NI/Scotland.
Equalities seats
3 seats elected by relevant constituency as now.
Sector seats
3 seats, support staff, post 16, independent, elected by relevant constituency.
National officers
4 on presidential rotation as now.
Treasurer as now. New Membership & equalities officer.
It was ATL’s concern to have multiple members constituencies in order they felt they had a good chance of getting ex ATL members elected. That lead to using multi easts – and so we used the ones presented at conference – though now with 4 exec members not 2

14. From Jan 2019– national executive (3)
Elections in the geographic multi seat constituencies will be by STV.
At least 50% of those elected will be women.
Nominations for executive and national officers made by local districts.
Geographic executive members can also be nominated by 35 members from at least 3 workplaces.
Sector executive members - voted for by members in the sector. Nominated by Local Districts or 35 members from 3 different workplaces.
Equality executive members - voted for by members on the section register. Nominated by Local Districts only.

15. From Jan 2019 – local structures DISTRICTS (1)
The new union will have geographic units – like our associations – called districts.
In almost all cases these will be same area as our associations. Largest size will be local authority area.
As now this will deal with all democratic issues – motions to conference etc.

16. From Jan 2019 – local structures DISTRICTS (2)
District will set its own local fee subject to:
A maximum of 20% of national fee.
For two years post transition a maximum of 15% ( so that ATL members don’t see an increase that they haven’t had a chance to vote on).
How this money is spent is determined by local district (in line with aims and objects), except that: purchase of property or employment of new staff must be agreed with national union.

17. From Jan 2019 – local structures BRANCHES
The new union will have employer based units – like our divisions – called branches.
The existing division will be renamed as a branch.
Branches deal with negotiations with employers.
Academy chains will be another branch.
Flexibility over this (e.g. standalone academy paying in to local facilities may be effectively part of the existing division branch).
Division type branches are funded by the district from the local fee.
Academy chain branches are funded by national grants.

18. From Jan 2019 – Retired, standard and associate members
The new union will need expertise and commitment from retired members.
Policy-making will be driven by serving teachers.
Standard member definition is permissive.

19. From Jan 2019 – CONFERENCE (1)
District delegates carry the votes of members as now.
Same ratio of delegates to members as now.
Delegations must include at least one rep from a sector with more than 250 members – so if you have 251 support staff in membership must be one delegate.
Must be some ex-ATL and ex-NUT members in delegations in 2020 and 2021.

20. From Jan 2019– CONFERENCE (2)
Equalities conference can submit motions to annual conference as now.
Sector (support staff, post 16, independent) can submit motions to annual conference.
Each of these can elect 6 delegates to conference.

21. From Jan 2019 – GS, DGS Each section elects a GS in 2018.
They serve as joint GS until August 2023.
If a vacancy occurs during that period – election to replace is of members of that section and new members.
For future elections – 15 district nominations required to stand – for either GS or DGS.

22. Concerns Bringing together cultures
Broadening membership: categories, sectors and nations
Specific aspects of rules: retired members, supply teacher members

23. Ballot opens 27th February
Our Vision
A single union for all teachers
(all education professionals? in all sectors?)
A Rep in every workplace
An authoritative voice for the profession
Ballot opens 27th February