Labels

Labels should help you find information. For example if you want to know when the next meeting is, click on "meetings".

For information about the pay campaign click on "pay"

Action over TLRs

Six schools in West Sussex are conducting indicative ballots over TLRs, one has already done so successfully and an eighth is considering doing so.

An indicative ballot is a convenient method of determining whether to go through the legal process of a ballot for action which has to follow strict government rules. An indicative ballot tells the rep whether members want to take action or not.

Knowledge is power!

Too often the courses organised for teachers are punitive - "you
are failing, this CPD will put you back on track for the government's latest wheeze". As you would expect *our* training courses are very different and aim to empower teachers and bring back some of the joy of teaching.

Union Learning Rep is a new role and hopefully a useful one which involves organising lifelong learning for people who are teaching. If teachers don't believe in learning for its own sake then who does?

Organising CPD for teachers continues and extends the role of the trade unions as educational bodies and advocates for education. There are details on the website http://www.teachers.org.uk
or ask your local learning rep.

The other strands to the role are lifelong learning, learning things which are of use or interest to the learner rather than directly to the employer; and of course promoting the training of union health and safety reps and other union officers.

All the government waffle about excellence is just boasting. Teaching is more about doing the best for your pupils in difficult cicumstances.

Mark Deakin and Derek McMillan are the learning reps for West Sussex, situated at opposite ends of the county.

Information about courses can be obtained from our helpline 01342 410805

Action on TLRs

We received this message from Lewisham NUT

From tomorrow (Thursday) indicative ballots are
opening in three Lewisham secondary schools to oppose
detrimental proposals being put forward as a result of
the introduction of TLRs.

Members in the three schools, Catford Girls', Sydenham
and Deptford Green, have made clear that they are not
prepared to see colleagues lose pay, teaching posts
lost and career prospects for the future being denied.

The NUT groups in these schools are showing how Union
action policy can be put into practice. However, the
ballots also inevitably put pressure on the members
concerned.

Your messages of support and/or completed petitions
(see attached) would be of great support to NUT
members as they proceed with their ballots.

Please reply to Lewisham NUT at:
secretary@lewisham.nut.org.uk
or Fax: 020 8285 1058

Martin Powell-Davies,
Secretary, Lewisham NUT.

The petition is online at http://wsta.org.uk/TLRPetition.doc

It is a document which you can download into Open Office or Word and print out.

Name and Acclaim

Today, West Sussex Teachers Association held a successful day school for correspondents covering the issues facing teachers this term of which one of the most controversial is TLRs.

The comprehensive advice to reps is available for download from the NUT website. This advice is better than the non-statutory guidance provided by RIG which is wrongly being used as if it were carved on tablets of stone in some schools.

Veronica Peppiatt explained that although the TLR proposals are described as "not an assimilation exercise" this simply means that there is not a given formula by which schools automatically assimilate teachers from MAs to TLRs. It does not mean that sensible heads cannot make it an assimilation exercise to minimise the disruption and ill-feeling which would be generated by pay cuts.

Further advice on this topic will be published here.

One of the uneducational and threatening terms which have become current thanks to politicians and journalists is "naming and shaming." The NUT is happy to name and acclaim schools which adopt a TLR model which satisfies staff rather than slavishly following the flawed non-statutory guidelines of RIG and alienating them.

STOP PAY CUTS

NUT Bucks blog has the following:

STOP PAY CUTS

STAY UNITED TO STOP PAY CUTS

By now you should have seen the heads proposals for the change over to TLRs at your school.
The NUT has urged heads and governors to follow a minimum change model where no one suffers a pay cut. This is what is happening in most schools we know about - most headteachers value their staff and don't want to cut their pay.
But if that isn't happening we want to help:
The NUT is urging teachers to stay united to say no to any pay cut - and wants to ballot for action in every school where cuts are proposed.
The NUT will conduct an indicative ballot if:
• You are being refused consultation - or
• Consultation is being unreasonably delayed - or
• The heads draft proposals suggest any NUT member suffers a pay cut - or
• The Governors final proposals suggest any member suffers a pay cut.
We will go back to the head after we have the indicative result to try to persuade them to change their proposals.
If that persuasion doesn't work we will ballot formally for "sustained, discontinous" action. That means we will pay you to be on strike - and that we will call you out for action say for a day a week until the school backs down. We will also help you to submit a grievance and if possible lodge an employment tribunal appeal.
We can win and stop the pay cuts if members in schools stick together.
But the union has to know what's happening if we are to help. If there are any pay cuts threatened at you school please get in touch a.s.a.p.

Broadband

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.doc
This 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

Welcome Event for New Teachers (and others!)

Welcome Event for New Teachers (and others!)

Day Trip to St Omer

SATURDAY 8TH OCTOBER
£5 ONLY for NQTS!
£10 for other NUT members (and up to one non-NUT guest each)
£15 for extra non-NUT guests

Spend the morning visiting the market in the pleasant town of St Omer then after a leisurely déjeuner visit a nearby hypermarché to stock up on continental goodies before the Christmas rush.

You’ll be ready for a break after the first month of the Autumn term, so book it now, before you get too busy. Get a group of colleagues together and make a real day out of it. We’re travelling by Eurotunnel so no fear of seasickness! Pick-up points at Lyons Farm, Worthing (B&Q superstore) and Pease Pottage services.

West Sussex NUT local officers look forward to meeting you. For further details (or to book) contact:

Veronica PeppiattTel: 01403 254733Fax: 01403 248803Email: thepeppiatts@vpeppiatt.freeserve.co.uk