Executive NEU’s

Joint General Secretaries’ report

The SATS Campaign

·Terrific impetus to the campaign with the announcements by Jeremy Corbyn and Layla Moran that both the Labour and LibDems would scrap SATs;

· policy work continued to focus on why the current primary testing regime was so toxic, especially to disadvantaged children. The Union was working with academics to propose alternatives to replace the current primary testing regime;

· work with More Than a Score bringing together parental groups, Headteachers, politicians and the NEU, to secure a change to the current assessment regime and opposing the introduction of the new Baseline Assessment.

· As a result, 30% drop in schools opting to take part in the Baseline trial;

· the ‘March of the 4 Year Olds’ gained widespread media coverage and united the Labour, Liberal Democrat and Green parties against the Baseline position. Over 75,000 people have now signed the petition against Baseline before the trials have even begun;

· The Union is exploring potential legal avenues around the collection, storage and use of data generated by Baseline. More Than A Score has also launched a pledge for primary schools to adopt stating that they would not ‘teach to the test’ around SATS.

· All this work has increased the visibility and reach of More Than A Score across social media platforms and in the ‘real world’. Jeremy Corbyn’s announcement was a culmination of that work.

The SATs Ballot

The Ballot opened with strong support for the union’s policy stance. As of 6 June, 14,000 members had already voted with 98% supporting the SATS campaign and the Union’s robust opposition to toxic testing in primary schools.

Funding

The SEND day of action had received huge media publicity. The Union mediated the initial message of the campaign which was to criticise the school, then the councils for lack of SEND support and to convince the parents that the real target should be the government, not cash starved schools and local authorities.

Workload (see next blog post for specific Wales update)

Kick-starting the campaign

· Filming reps talking about how they have reduced workload in their schools

· Working on a powerful film on “A day in the life of a teacher;

· Producing a guidance document for reps on how to tackle workload in their schools with practical advice and help on how to use the DfE advice

· Organisers are using workload as a vehicle to get into schools and increase rep density

· Re-issuing the Workload survey to be released in October, 5 years after Nicky Morgan launched the workload challenge;

· reinforce the message that workload will only be reduced when the toxic accountability regime of tests, tables, progress measures and OFSTED have been scrapped, which is where our campaign joins together in a vision for a better world for education professionals, children and the young people they serve

Elections

The chart of Executive Committees and other groups agreed by the JEC was been the starting point for consideration of remits and operation of the lower tier committees, National Councils and Organising Forums. All four standing committees (Wales,

International, Professional Unity and Equalities) are now fully constituted. Elections to the Executive places on the National Councils and Organising Forums were held. The remaining vacancies will be filled at the July Executive. Regional and Wales members are being elected at this term’s Councils.

Sixth-Form college ballot

The formal ballot of teacher & support staff members in the sixth form colleges sector opens on 10 June. The ballot is for discontinuous strike action during the autumn and spring terms, as part of a dispute with the Secretary of State on pay, conditions and employment. It is being held in parallel to the union’s campaign on sixth form college funding. The ballot will close in September. The Executive acknowledged that it was essential that the legal thresholds were met in every college, as the ballot will be counted on a college by college basis. NEU college reps have been asked to organise meetings to help ensure maximum turnout. Districts and branches were being asked to contact reps in their areas and offer support, particularly where the rep may require support or encouragement, and ensure that meetings are held in every college.

TUC matters

The NEU is now the fourth largest union in the TUC and to reflect this, the Executive agreed that the delegation to the TUC will be extended to include our representatives on the TUC young workers’ forum as well as those by office (the National Officers, the chairs of the Strategy Committees, the equality seat holders and representatives on the TUC women’s committees and a delegate from each Region and Wales) in addition to the ten directly elected members. The Strategy Committee gave preliminary consideration to the subject for our two motions to be finalised at the July Executive. The Executive also agreed to nominate the following activists for TUC awards – Jenny Cooper – Health & Safety Rep Award; Liz Mills (winner of the Nikki Simpson Award) – Learning Rep Award; and Nik Jones (winner of the Officer of the Year) – Organising Award

National Disciplinary and National Appeals Committee

The Executive agreed a timetable to fill the three vacancies on the NDC/NAC. The interim Disciplinary Procedure was agreed and the terms of a review of this procedure to include Philipa Harvey, Sheena Wheatley and Wendy Hardy and with other Executive members including Equality Seat members, NDC/NAC members and staff.

2020 schedule of Executive meetings

6 February

21 March

6-9 April – Annual Conference

7 May

13 June

9 July

13-16 September – TUC

3 Oct

12 November

12 December

Cuba and Palestine Delegations

The Executive agreed the list of Executive and lay delegates to the delegations to be held during the October half term. Well done to Claudia Merola from Pembrokeshire district who has been chosen for the Palestine delegation and Kathleen Steelandt from Denbighshire district who has been chosen for the Cuba delegation. Both have also been elected to the International solidarity organising forum and I look forward to working with them on the forum and expanding our international solidarity work here in Wales.

Political Fund

The process for agreeing expenditure from the Fund, including the NEU grant application process, was agreed and will be published on the website and signposted in the e-Bulletin for local officers