Author: Mairead Canavan

Wales National Executive member for the NEU from January 1st 2019

Executive NEUs February 2023

JGS Report

  • At 5pm the previous Tuesday, the JGSs received a letter from Gillian Keegan to all four unions offering formal negotiations on the basis that the NEU suspended our action; the letter did reference ‘discussions with the PM and the chancellor’ but there was no reference to an improved offer this year or next;
  • Within ten minutes of the letter, the DFE released its (significantly delayed) evidence to the STRB – proposing 3.5% increase citing affordability (3% for experienced teachers; 0.5% for ECTs/M2 adjustment); in Q3, inflation forecast to be 10%+ (RPI) or 6.5% (CPI)
  • Informal contact from SPADs and mandarins repeated reassurances that the landing zone (more detail) would be revealed if and when we suspended the strike action – so, calling for the Union to publicly call off the action with no parallel announcement from the Government
  • JGSs – clear messaging in media and with members on our response to the Government
  • Joint Union meeting at the DFE on Wednesday; Government’s attempts to divide and rule fell flat with NAHT, ASCL and NASUWT united in their condemnation of the ‘shabby tactics’
  • Some more detail on the landing zone – non-consolidated payment this year and increase affordability parameters for revisiting next year’s award
  • The Union’s action has fundamentally shifted the Government’s position – has now moved to direct negotiations with the union on pay, bypassing, and weakening, the STRB
  • Public/parental support still strong
  • Government supressed the school attendance data for 1 February (we’ve issued an FOI request); national figures indicate 57% of children off school – distinct regional and phase differences – 76% secondary pupils off and 42% primary pupils off school

Wales Government offer – as set out in the OSG report (8 February)

  • An additional 1.5% consolidated on all spine points
  • An unconsolidated payment equivalent to 1.5% on all spine points
  • Proposed measures to improve workload
  • No improved offer for Support Staff
  • Truncated and earlier timetable for the 2023 IWPRB deliberations (to report by 29 April)

The JGSs met several hundred reps in Wales on Monday 13 February who endorsed the recommendation that we reject the offer, press for an improved offer and move the action proposed for 14 February to 2 March and to allow time to press Wales Government for an improved offer

TUC dispute

  • JGSs attended the TUC dispute meeting on 9 February and expect a judgement in early March;
  • Required to provide the SS membership increase since July 2022 – 74% of whom were not previously in a Union
  • The Executive to consider an Urgent Motion to Conference on Support Staff (to include pay dispute and re-balloting) at the March Executive meeting and in the light of TUC ruling

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

Conference Amendments in the name of the Executive:

  • Motion 18 Early Career Teachers
  • Motion 19 Anti-racism
  • Motion 26 Invalid Value Added Measures In Post 16 Education
  • Motion 38 Nothing about us without us (with one amendment)
  • Motion 21 Maternity Rights

Other matters:

  • Nomination for Fred and Anne Jarvis Award – be awarded to Onjaji Rauf.
  • Agreed the General Motion on Violence against Women and Girls
  • Joint Meeting Of Union Strength And Member Defence To Discuss The Implementation Of The Proposed Neu Definition Of Transphobia
  • Both Committees agreed to RECOMMEND that there will not be a discussion about the text of the definition at the March Executive; that it will be postponed until discussion has taken place with the Trans and Non-Binary Network; and for it to come back to a later Executive
  • Both Committees agreed there is the need for training and guidance to be introduced to, ‘ensure that all members have the same opportunity to be represented, participate, be heard and to contribute towards the policies of the organisation’ (Objects of the Union).
  • Cumbria Branches –  the creation of two new branches – Cumberland and Westmoreland and Furness to replace the existing Cumbria State Funded branch and to reflect the two new unitary authorities   
  • Variance report GPC noted the report and the overall negative variance due to expenditure being higher than budgeted
  •  Final Accounts and AR21 – noted the final financial statements for the 12-month period to 31 August 2022 and noted that the AR21 returns will shortly be submitted to the GB and NI Certification Officers
  • the investment proposals contained within the Investment Strategy Review documents and agreed by the NEU Pension Trustees
  • under Rule 23.6 that individuals cannot stand for two different seats in national elections and therefore, where an individual is nominated for two or more seats, they decide which seat they will stand for and withdraw from the election in respect of the other seat(s).
  • amendments to Conference Standing orders to clarify the speakers’ cards process
  • Agreed a timetable to re-ballot members in sixth form colleges on a timetable that would allow action from 11 May (ballot opening 13 March; closing 21 April)

Pay campaign

The Executive endorsed the recommendations from the SC: B&N outlining the plans for the regional action; the roadmap to the summer term escalation (in the event that the dispute is not resolved) and a re-ballot of support staff members in England all of which to be discussed further at the March meeting of the Executive.

Finally, the Executive congratulated Heather McKenzie for the well-deserved honour of being chosen to chair TUC Women’s Conference and Gawain Little on his appointment as GS of GFTU.

Strike day 1

Thanks to one of our Vale reps for videoing the speech I made at the right to strike demo in Cardiff today, it was a very positive event and it was great to see so many of our members there. Earlier this morning I visited 2 of the 4 Vale of Glamorgan picket lines organised by our fabulous reps

My speech at rally February 1st https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9saEfyp8kj4&t=7

NEU Cymru strike for teacher & support staff pay

In its ongoing campaign for a fully funded, above inflation pay rise, the teacher members of the National Education Union in Wales have voted overwhelmingly for strike action and the ballot has successfully surpassed the threshold set by Welsh Government for strike action.

The question put was, “Are you prepared to take strike action in furtherance of this dispute?” 92.28% of teacher members voted YES, on a turnout of 58.1%.

The ballot is a result of failure by the Welsh Government to ensure enough money is available to allow employers to pay a fully funded increase in pay for teachers and support staff which at least matches inflation, and which begins to restore lost pay.

The union is declaring four days of strike action in February and March in Wales. The first will be on will be on Wednesday 1 February, affecting around 1,500 workplaces in Wales.

A ballot of support staff was also conducted alongside the teacher ballot in Wales. In Wales, the ballot result for support staff in schools saw the majority of members vote YES;  88.26% on a turnout of 51.3%.

This means that both teachers and support staff in state-funded schools in Wales who are in NEU membership are able to take strike action in pursuance of a fully funded, above inflation pay rise.

The full list of projected strike days in Wales are as follows:

Wednesday 1 February 2023:      all eligible members in England and Wales.

Tuesday 14 February 2023:         all eligible members in Wales.

Wednesday 15 March 2023:        all eligible members in England and Wales.

Thursday 16 March 2023:            all eligible members in England and Wales.

David Evans, Wales Secretary of the National Education Union Cymru, said:

“We have continually raised our concerns with the Education Minister about teacher and support staff pay, and Welsh Government funding of schools, but so far they have not taken steps to resolve the issue.

“Teachers have lost around 20% in real-terms since 2010, and support staff 27% over the same period. The 5% pay rise for teachers this year is some 7% behind inflation. In the midst of a cost-of-living crisis, that is an unsustainable situation.

“Around a quarter of teachers are leaving within their first five years of qualifying. This is a waste of important talent and taxpayers’ money, yet the Welsh Government has not acted to ensure the conditions they are allowing in schools support retention.

“The Welsh Government must know there is going to have to be action on teacher pay. They must realise that school support staff need a pay rise.

“If they do not, then the consequences are clear for parents and children. Anyone who values education should support us in this dispute because that is what we are standing up for.

“It continues to be the aspiration of the NEU and its membership that this dispute can be resolved without recourse to strike action. We regret having to take strike action and are willing to enter into negotiations at any time, any place, but this situation cannot go on.

“We will be meeting with Jeremy Miles in the coming days and look forward to doing so, we will continue to press that concrete proposals on teacher and support staff pay be put forward.”

ENDS

Executive NEU’s January 2023

JGS Report

The JGSs shared the predicted ballot result with the Executive on a confidential basis and paid tribute to the energy and commitment of reps, local officers, Executive members and staff in delivering the results.

The internal data systems ensured that reps, local officers and field staff could focus their efforts on members yet to vote. 

  • Reps had conversations with over 70k members;
  • over 20k members were contacted by ‘phone;
  • 4k reps have taken every step we asked of them;
  • we issued 48,500 replacement ballot papers and the ballot enquiries team (staff volunteers) responded to 25k emails.   

JGSs summarised the arrangements for releasing the ballot result on 16 January with a zoom call with the Executive and local officers at c3pm and a Facebook live event for members at 5pm.  The announcement would not be triumphalist but sombre – our members want to be in their classes supporting their pupils and the Government can avert the strikes by resolving our dispute.

Mary reported on the meeting between the Secretary of State, G Keegan, and education unions held on 9 January which lasted 1.5 hours at which the SoS had brought nothing to the table.  The Executive endorsed the proposed pattern of action:

  • National action on 1 February, 15 March (budget day) and 16 March
  • 28 February – Northern, North West and Yorkshire & Humber
  • 1 March – West Midlands, East Midlands and Eastern
  • 2 March – London, South East and South West

Discussions will begin next week with branch and districts on local activities; planning a national rally on 15 March in London and will be encouraging every branch and district to organise transport.

In response to comments from Executive members, the JGSs confirmed:

  • Strike FAQs would be updated and available on website from 16 January
  • Segmented advice to support staff, supply members, headteachers will be produced

Both BNC and SC:US brought reports on the pay campaign to the Executive which endorsed the Campaign messages and the pattern of strike action and programme of activities

Other matters of report – the Union’s formal response to the GMB/UNISON complaint had been submitted to the TUC and a dispute hearing date was awaited; the ballot of members in NI for strike action (in addition to on-going ASOS) was closing on 10 February; confirmation that the Schools Bill had been abandoned – defeated by a coalition including the Union.

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

  • TUC matters – motions agreed for – Disabled Workers Conference 2023 – More Disabled workers in education;  LGBT+ Workers Conference 2023 – Standing Up for why inclusion is good for everyone; Young Workers Conference 2023 1 – Tackling Child hunger and Tackling Child Poverty; Mairead Canavan was elected to attend TUC Women’s Conference;
  • Draft definition of transphobia on which Counsel’s advice would be sought to ensure legality before referral to SC:US and SC:MD at a joint meeting in February cycle to consider implementation measures before final text of the definition agreed at a future Executive
  • To endorse the C4C and PCS policy position on safe passage for refugees;
  • Finance/variance report for the period to November 2022; an overall adverse variance for the period was noted at £1,122,788 primarily due to the additional spending in relation to the national pay ballot.  Draft Final Accounts required some small final amendments and it was agreed to authorise the National Treasurer and Chair of GPC to sign off the final version for submission of the AR21. Our external auditors, BDO, attended and confirmed that the NEU’s finances are in a good state and good controls are in place
  • two issues in relation to Local Hardship Funds where the district is moribund or a DS is unable to convene a quorate meeting and approved the following actions in such circumstances; –
  • Regional Councils are asked to assist and set-up hardship funds for moribund districts.
  • Where necessary, hardship funds are set up despite a meeting not being quorate. This is provided the meeting is overseen by an Executive member who is satisfied that the reason for the meeting not being quorate is not due to members being unsupportive of a hardship fund being set-up. (retrospective if already in place and all decisions are recorded in writing)
  • Temporary removal of the expenditure limit that can be agreed by a district committee (regulation 32 of the LFR) to ensure there are no barriers to decision-making for the purposes of expenditure related to the national industrial action non-budgeted expenditure can be agreed by the district committee but must be reported to the next quorate general meeting
  • Revised standing orders (relating to submission of speakers’ cards in advance of Conference
  • donation of £80,000 to Stand Up to Racism, with £25,000 being paid from the Political Fund, and £55,000 from the general donations budget
  • Eligibility to vote in Executive Sector/Equality seat elections – that in accordance with Rule 23.6, Rules 13.14(g) and 13.15(h) are interpreted so that the closing date is the date voting commences as set out in Rule 13.16.1 which was amended at Annual Conference 2022.
  • Note the announcement that the joint health unions are withdrawing from their pay review body process and agreed to approach education union counterparts to explore the possibility of a similar joint position being adopted until there is some resolution to our current pay dispute for 2022-23; review participation in STRB process at the next meeting
  • an urgent priority for regional staff, by actively contacting elected branch officers to gather the relevant information
  • Louise Regan, Louise Lewis and Dominic Coughlin were elected to the new Working Group (supporting Black Members); Wendy Hardy was elected to the Retired Members OF

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.