Broadband is a newsletter for Divisional and Association Officers with a lot of useful inside information for members of the union.
The original document is available on our website
http://wsta.org.uk/vol2no1.docThis is a word document which can be opened with Microsoft Word or Open Office.
Ready…Steady…Recruit!
We hope you all had a good summer and are raring to go! Our first task is, of course, the annual recruitment round so we’re gearing up here ready to assist and support you in your efforts to ensure that every possible NQT, student and new appointee joins the biggest and best teachers’ union.
If you haven’t yet let us know the date of your NQ function and what assistance you require from Regional Office, please do so.
The first meeting of this year for Division Secretaries and Executive members is on
Thursday 15 September
10.30 a.m. at the Regional Office
when a major item on the agenda will be Recruitment & Retention and I am hoping that, as suggested last term, Kevin Courtney, Camden Div Sec, will be able to attend to share with us the systems he has developed to make membership work thorough and consistent.
Workforce Remodelling is of course a standing item at these meetings at present, so please bring along your latest reports and experiences.
But don’t forget to let us have an up-to-date summary of what is happening in your LEA by September 6 as requested in Union Circular 05-112.
Let us have also any suggestions for other items to be on our agenda for 15 September.
MAs to TLRs
Many thanks to all Local Officers who have worked so hard to brief School Reps so that we are as prepared as we can be to meet this challenge.
Please keep up the pressure on LEAs not to encourage a radical "clean sheet" approach, but to give helpful guidance to schools on how to amend current job descriptions in the light of the new TLR criteria and avoid unnecessary disruption, bureaucracy and disaffection.
We have had one or two queries from centrally employed members and you will have received Circular 05-122 which gives advice on how to support members in central services currently in receipt of MAs. As with schools, our aim is to get such members transferred onto an appropriate TLR level with minimum hassle.
Education Review Champions
Circular 05-124 announced a new initiative to boost the profile of this outstanding Union publication.
Does your Association/Division order bulk supplies of the Review for schools … or as a recruitment incentive?
We hope that all Associations and Divisions will identify a "champion" for the Review. Alongside the work of Union Learning Reps, publicising the educational work of the Union broadens our appeal in membership terms.
Young Teachers
The Conference Memorandum on Union Democracy highlighted the importance of building Union membership among young teachers. Training courses and campaigns on international issues are proving very successful in attracting young members to become involved in "less traditional" areas of Union activity.
Circular 05-089 asked Divisions and Associations to consider allocating a place for a young teacher as delegate or observer to Annual Conference.
The first Young Teachers’ Forum took place last term and there is to be a Young Teachers’ Forum Conference in November. We are being asked to nominate up to 5 young members, in addition to those already nominated for the Forum, to attend the Conference. Such members must be under 35 (that’s certainly young!!), not student members and should represent a wide range of groups and interests.
As nominations are requested from ROs by the end of September, I would be grateful for any names by or at the Div Secs/Exec meeting on 15 September.
SERTUC Young TU Reserved Seat
As of this year, there is a reserved seat on the SERTUC Executive Committee for a young trade unionist. This seat remains vacant, so we are being asked for nominations.
Young trade unionists are clearly younger than young teachers as the cut-off age for this position is 27. Any nominee must also be a delegate to the SERTUC Regional Council.
If you have such a member who would like to be nominated, please let us know. As nominations have to be in by 12 October, it will not be possible for this to go to Regional Council as would normally be the case.
£££ Salary Sacrifice schemes
We have had enquiries from members about the exclusion of teachers from these schemes whereby employees can surrender part of their salary in return for childcare vouchers and home computers.
The current situation, as outlined in Circular 05-078, is that teachers who are paid under Schoolteachers’ Pay and Conditions are excluded because the document does not give the legal right to such employers to vary the salary. Teachers in independent schools, agency supply teachers etc can participate and the Union is trying to negotiate arrangements whereby all teachers can benefit.
Administration of Medicines
The DfES and Dept of Health have issued x new guidance on medicines in s schools, available on the DfES website (\medicine) and the Union has also updated its guidance. If you can’t find it on the website, we can send you a paper copy.
Health & Safety
The latest H&S bulletin included information about a new School Travel Forum, the aim of which is to help schools ensure that major components of school trips, (travel, food and accommodation), will be handled in a safe and professional manner. The NUT and other teachers’ unions are supporting the Forum.
The same bulletin reports on a Somerset LEA initiative to monitor H&S in schools. It has an "escalation procedure" whereby schools failing to rectify H&S shortcomings will be subject to increasing levels of sanction, culminating potentially in removal of delegated powers. A commendably proactive approach …
Facilities for Union Reps
The latest training module produced by HQ deals with Union facilities (attached to Circular 05-077) and Circular 05-119 points out the arguments for increased facilities time as a result of increasing workload for local officers. Please let us know if you would like assistance from Regional Office, either in training or in negotiations with your LEA.
TEN briefings
TEN, The Education Network, provides regular briefings on a huge range of educational issues via email. Regional Office is on the mailing list and could forward the briefings to Divisions and Associations if you think this would be helpful. Please let us know if you would NOT want these briefings forwarded.
Local Officers’ training …
returns to Stoke Rochford; see Circ 05-115
Division Secs’ Briefing, 12-14 Oct
Belton Woods Hotel, nr Grantham
Make sure your Division is represented
New Secretaries’ Training, 10-12 Oct
Stoke Rochford
H&S Advisers’ Briefing, 28-30 Nov
Belton Woods Hotel
SE Regional Council, 26 November
Hamilton House
Trade Unions Against Racism, Paris, 21-22 October
Further details from Regional Office
Labels: NUT policy, TLRs
