Executive NEUs November 2022

JGS Report

Pay Campaign and National Ballots

Priority is getting the vote out. Members in PRC; US, GPC and B&N all discussed the next key steps in the campaign to secure the ballot thresholds in all five cohorts; a discussion which continued in the full Executive during the JGS Report and the debate on the Urgent Report from SC: B&N. A proposed pattern of action was agreed, in confidence pending discussions with other education unions and TUC affiliates to be concluded by 5 December. Confidentiality under Standing Orders was invoked. Executive members agreed a focus upon helping branches and reps in talking to targeted members to ensure that the political messaging of the campaign links our ballot to the wider crisis in the public sector, such as the NHS, the railways, the Post Office. Complete re-launch of workplace activity for reps and local officers; branch officers to be asked to hold a briefing for reps, reps to hold workplace meetings and to follow up with 1:1 conversations in schools, with a key focus on the target schools.

· important to focus on sharper political messaging and personal stories which will motivate members to vote:

– This is a vote for more resources and stable staffing for our schools and students

– This is a vote to stand with nurses and the rest of the public sector – members are not alone

– This is a vote to make sure the next ten years of our pay are not like the last ten years

– Evidence base – recent ITT figures demonstrate Government failing on all their targets

· An additional spend of £120,000 plus VAT on phone banking to get the vote out

School Cuts Campaign

· Re-launch of the School Cuts website in advance of the Financial Statement pivotal in forcing the Government announcement of £2.3 billion on school funding– £2 billion in real terms

· Step change to allow pay rise of around 5% for next year. Government providing evidence document in January.

· Clear message – the Union can and does make a difference and has secured additional, although not yet sufficient, funding

· Andrew Baisley working to update the SC website with the new funding figures

· Severe funding deficits remain with critical focus on SEND (policy change also needed); Maintained Nursery Provision and Post-16

Unison/Unite/GMB complaints to TUC

· Meeting at TUC on 11 November;

· Clear and unambiguous line from JGSs – dispute not with employers but with the Government; We are not seeking recognition.

· NEU not breaching agreement but fighting for fair pay settlement for the education sector

· Will go to TUC disputes committee – POA, Prospect and USDAW on panel

The Executive also endorsed all Strategy Committee reports from October 2022 and agreed the following:

· Revised Standing Orders incorporating the Executive decisions in October arising from the OSG recommendations and the Resolution on Executive protocols

· Annual Conference motions: Oak National Academy and defending teacher professionalism and Ballot lessons and VE:VE

· TUC motions to women’s conference on Supporting women’s struggles across the globe and Keeping the spotlight on challenging sexism and sexual harassment

· Agreed recommended revisions to OF/NC operation

· Agreed a protocol for nominating NEU Award Winners for TUC awards (Gold Badge/Learning Reps/H&S rep/organising and young workers’ rep awards) with appropriate revisions to the NEU award process;

· A small task and finish group be formed to produce a full set of standing orders for regional/Wales councils and review the current RW council constitutions; membership of the group to include the chair of US, plus 2 members of US (Louise Atkinson and Holly Williams) 2 regional/Wales secretaries and the secretary to US; to report back via Union Strength during 2023; to look also at the potential for guarded positions for women in RWC officer positions; (Executive 16/07/22)

· variance report and that it was early in the financial year to draw any conclusions around subscription income and adopted the internal audit plan as advised by Crowe

· the additional spend of £120,000 plus VAT on phone banking to get the vote out

· Discussed the staff pay claim and the letter sent by Unite Staff Representatives to all Executive members; provided the AGS – Business Services, as lead negotiator, with the cost envelope for the negotiations

· Proposed Rule changes to Annual Conference 2023

· spend of £251,000 plus VAT for the relocation of the London Regional Office to Hamilton House noting the consequential cost savings over time;

· revised guidance for District and Branch elections.

· the late nominations for NDC/NAC to be accepted up until 30 November if they are for vacant seats on the committee;

· Funding requests: a donation of £3,000 to New Voices; £5,000 to the RMT strike fund; endorsed the annual donation to Northern Rocks of £1,000.

· delegation to Palestine – agreed ten applicants with two reserves.

· Donation of £2,000 for first SPOT conference since 2019 on Saturday 29 October

· £5,000 donation for a community project in Nablus to Intercommunity Co-Working Space

· £2,500 to Mesarvot a network to support refuseniks who refuse to serve in the Israeli army because of their opposition to the illegal occupation of Palestine.

· £5,000 to the Lajee Cultural Centre

· £2,000 towards the relaunch of the ‘No Way To Treat A Child’ campaign

· That the NEU pays the cost of the return flight to the UK for the Anden General Secretary to attend annual conference

· agreed to establish a working party to implement the instructions set out in the Conference Resolution “Supporting Black Members, Black Lives Matter” with the remit and membership to be discussed at the OSG in December to ensure elections in the next cycle

· Agreed updates to the NEU Disciplinary Procedure following Rule changes and Review Group recommendations

The Executive welcomed Kate Taylor (newly elected D7 member) to her first meeting.