Executive NEUs June 10th 2022

JGS Report
Education Bill
• Continue to reiterate Union’s successful challenge to the Government’s inaccurate evidence for the White Paper/Bill despite claims to be robustly ‘evidence based’
• EPI/Institute of Education report published this week on ‘stuck schools’ – those with repeat RI Ofsted/Estyn scores over 3 inspection cycles – have striking (but unsurprising) common factors:
o High rates of teacher and pupil turnover
o Based in towns rather than cities
o Higher proportion of pupils with SEN or on FSM
o Repeated lower Ofsted/Estyn grades inevitably damages schools further
o Vicious circle – low staff/student morale/low levels of parental trust/recruitment difficulties
o Staff in ‘stuck schools’ report grave concerns about quality of inspections/inspectors
o No benefit/improved performance on joining MATs – neutral impact
• this report vindicates the Union’s opposition to the premise of the Education Bill – it’s an answer to a question no-one is asking
• Working with other unions to promote amendments to the Bill
• Organising zoom calls with reps in standalone academies/LA schools to reinforce the downside of joining MATs – no way out
• Working with NEU Councillor network to promote the Union’s message
• Planning an event in Parliament with NAHT and ASCL in October when Bill reaches HoC
• Union joining the judicial review by parents at Holland Park (London) of the decision to join ULT – against the wishes of the school community.
Pay
• Building for rally on 18 June; GSS team at Town Hall meetings in Stoke and Sheffield; promotional video posted on website – Executive asked to share the link widely
• Need to counter the arguments – #1: 80% of current inflation down to price increases and not pay inflation; company profits at historically high levels while pay increases historically low; real danger that suppressing wages will create stagflation; #2 Union can and does effect real change and has been fundamental in moving the arguments forward from 2010 – Government rhetoric (at least) against austerity and low wage economy; #3 Collective action lifts spirits and encourages engagement
• Annual data set reveals 1 in 8 teacher trainees leave in their first year of teaching; 36,000 left last year – £4,000 more than the previous year despite lower retirement figures; a quarter of teachers leave in two years and a third within five years
• Mary Bousted to raise the crisis in recruitment with Robin Walker, Schools Minister at the next Programme of Talks
• Intend to write to Nadhim Zahawi after TUC rally to notify that we’re holding an indicative ballot; in touch with PCS and NASUWT about co-ordinating plans
Survey of Women members
• As part of implementation of the 2021 Conference Resolution – defending maternity rights – surveyed 24,000 women (with 1 in 6 response rate); revealed widespread breaches of law including refusal to attend ante-natal appointments during school day; no risk assessments; denial of pay progression
• Some examples of good practice and Union key to ensuring members’ maternity rights observed
• Findings will inform five themed reports: Pregnancy and rights at work; Pregnancy Loss or termination; Pay and financial support; breastfeeding; return to work and flexible working
• Pool of resources to be produced for members/reps and local officers to assist them in member support – key issue for our women members (77%)
• Recent workplace survey (across the whole economy) revealed that 29% of women between 29-34 years not in paid work due to childcare costs; gender pay gap stuck at 15.4% which rises to 30% in retirement

Kevin Courtney and Dawn Taylor part of a delegation to Colombia with JFC observing the official Presidential Election observers – moving and humbling to see the bravery of Colombian people.

The Executive agreed all Strategy Committee reports from the meetings on 7 May 2022 and agreed the following urgent reports and decisions:
• Finance Report – overall positive variance of £2,974,333 due to expenditure being lower than budgeted, although there continued to be an adverse variance in respect of income budget.
• further work on the draft budget for 2022/3 before final sign off in July – agreed no deficit budget and the establishment of a dedicated savings project team
• further information be sought on the extension to the Eastern Regional Office before final decision and retrospective approval for taking up the lease on the Edgworth Suite for the NW Regional Office.
· noted the situation with the central mobile phones contract and the action taken by the IT department to prevent a repetition of similar problems in the future
· Funding requests from Music for Youth for £30,000 sponsorship and £20,000 donation (budgeted year on year), £20,000 for Love Music, Hate Racism towards a float at Notting Hill Carnival, £5,000 to the Conference for the Black Child (organised by Stand up to Racism) and £2,000 to Match Fest
· Draft timetable for the D7 by-election to be published in the e-Bulletin on 10 June with nominations opening on 1 September
• the transfer of both Channel Island districts (Guernsey and Jersey) from the South West to the South East region wef 1 September 2022
• As requested by our network of 6FC reps, prepare to run an indicative ballot on pay in September and determine the final timetable at the July Executive
• contact FE reps offering to run disaggregated indicative college ballots on pay wherever UCU likewise ballots or where NEU has significant membership
• As part of the Conference resolution implementation, to donate Windrush Foundation (£5,000); Seven Stories Windrush programme (£2,500); Positive Action in Housing (£2,500) and Refugee and Migrant Centre (£2,500)
• SC:MD was given a demonstration of the AWR online tool and gave feedback in advance of the launch
• Agreed to move the DBS Briefing to 15 July and send a message of solidarity to RMT