School Reps’ Briefing

The Union’s Organising Culture

and our School Reps

•The issues we face and their context

•Possible responses•School Reps’ roles

Thatcher’s legacy

The Tories gave us…

Defence of Grammar Schools

Assisted Places scheme subsidising private education

Local Financial Management & then LMS

Funding famine Compulsory Competitive

Tendering

“Opting Out” City Technology Colleges EAZs SATs & League Tables Punitive Ofsted

Inspection “Parental Choice” Outsourcing of LEAS Private Finance Initiative

..and then came TonyCCT footage from the crime scene

“Education, education, education” “Essential challenges of modernisation…

…to create an economy fully attuned to a new global market…

…to fashion a modern welfare state where the role of government changes so it is not necessary to provide all social provision...

…the process is irresistible and irreversible”Speech to TUC 1997

The Government’s 5 year strategy

‘Diversity & Choice’ attack on “bog standard comprehensives” Extension of PFI - “Building Schools For The Future” Specialist Schools Extension of “Foundation Status” for schools Further reduction in the role of LEAs and increase in outsourcing City Academies - now “Academies” and “Skills Academies” Workforce Remodelling - through “Social Partnership” divide & rule Enforced school staff and pay restructuring & attacks on pensions Academic & vocational divergent ‘pathways’ at 14 All schools increasingly “independent” Increasing number of schools run by private companies,

individuals, voluntary groups, parents, faith groups

…and now, The Education Act

All schools to become increasingly “independent” Schools to be encouraged to opt out of LA as “Trust Schools” to

take increasing control the curriculum & teachers’ pay & conditions Businesses, faith groups, parents & universities to be allowed to set

up schools and help form clusters or federations of existing ones. ‘Popular’ schools to be allowed to expand & to take in more pupils. Private schools to be allowed to "opt in" to the state sector. Faith

schools, in particular, are expected to take advantage of this. Parents to be given a bigger say in the running of schools ‘Failing schools’ to be given a year to improve or face closure. Cut-price transport for families in poor neighbourhoods to give

them access to better-performing schools in wealthier suburbs.

Globalisation & education‘external’ pressuresAndy Green, reader in Education at University of London Institute of Education.

“As the national state becomes a marginal force in the new world order, so education becomes an individualised consumer good delivered in a global market and accessed through satellite and cable links. National education ceases to exist”

“Education, Globalisation & The Nation State”

Why educate your own people when you can import some cheaper, or export the jobs?

Education for global profit

Global spending on education exceeds one thousand billion dollars

World wide there are 50 million teachers employed Over one billion students are taught in hundreds of

thousands of educational establishments Education International - the international education

union organisation says,

“Some see this immense bloc as a dream market for future investment”

“Liberalisation world-wide” World Trade Organisation,

“General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS)… “GATS is the first ever set of multilateral, legally enforcable, rules governing international trade in services”

The European Commission publication “World Trade In Services”… “Services negotiations should extend liberalisation world-wide, creating new trade and investment opportunities in all service sectors”

The European Union Constitution and the European Services Directive reinforce these messages

Speaking personally...

Prof. James Tooley, privatisation theorist and practitioner, Newcastle University,

“We mustn’t be tempted by the reassuring spin that the public sector can hope to match the incentives of the private sector. The way forward for education is to bring in (these) incentives… Education is far too important to be excluded from the virtues of the profit motive”

and from the USA...

Michael Milken, a leading US finance capitalist, speaking to Arthur Levine, President of Teachers’ College, Columbia University…

“You guys are in trouble… & we’re gonna eat your lunch…”

The end of state education?As Education International puts it…

“In the wake of other major public services which have been subject to extensive privatisation & deregulation, public education is being increasingly targeted by predatory and powerful entrepreneurial interests. The latter are aiming at nothing less than its dismantling by subjecting it to international competition.”

Survey of School Reps

Reps were asked to identify the main issues raised with them..

• Workload 74%• Pupil behaviour 47%• Pay & Pensions 41%• Cover 32%• Health, Safety & Welfare 32%

‘Social Partnership’ - a top down approach to teacher Trade

Unionism• Assumes an identity of interest between Government,

employers & teachers’ organisations• Seeks “partnership agreements” through closed door

negotiation (excluding non-partners)...• … then “promotes and promulgates” the results • Born out of decline in trade union activism, and reflected

in the EU “European Social Model”• Examples arising from the

Government/employer/NASUWT/ATL Social Partnership– the Workload/“Remodelling” Agreement – the TLR Restructuring – Performance Management regulations– Teachers’ duties review (now under discussion)

Our NUT “Organising Culture”a membership led approach to teacher Trade

Unionism• Members’ priorities determine Union positions• Leadership accountable to members - not vice versa

• Policy & negotiations reflect members’ aspirations• Negotiators are backed by active campaign• Organisation and activity by members in schools and LA services is our

source of strength• Examples of NUT member led campaigns

- pensions - Qualified Teacher for every class- state education - opposing Trusts & Academies- MAs to TLRs - workload - anti-SATs campaign

•

Organising Culture or Social Partnership?

• Our Organising Culture approachrequires an informed, involved, active membership

• The Social Partnership approachrequires a loyal, acquiescent membership

• Schools - SMTs & Governing Bodies are becoming increasingly “independent”

• The Union must be strong in the workplace• Lessons learned

- from UPS, pensions, MA/TLR issues, workload campaign… where we are well organised and determined we make gains. Where we are not, we do not!

- it’s not a fair world & the meek for the most part don’t inherit it

Survey of School Reps

Reps were asked to identify tasks they frequently undertake

Open Union mailings 97%Put items on notice boards 88%Promote NUT policy 37%Promote NUT benefits 27%Recruit new members 23%Carry out Health & Safety tasks 13%Meet with Reps of other Unions 12%Meet with Head on NUT issues 11%Convene meetings of members 4%Carry out casework 3%

The Organising Culture & the role of the NUT School Rep

Recruiting membersStaying in touchCommunicating

Organising the School GroupInfluencing School/Service policy &

proceduresProviding support to membersDeveloping professional unity

Campaigningwhatever you can do!

Recruiting members“Because they asked me”

StudentsInterviewees

NQTsNewly Appointed

Non-NUT membersRemember the hotline &

website0845 300 1669 www.teachers.org.uk

Staying in touch

National Union mailingsLocal mailings

www.teachers.org.ukHearth

National & Local Briefings & Training

Local Association meetings The NUT Divisional Officers

just pick up the phone!

Communicating...with the Union

Local Association SecretaryThe Union’s Divisional Officers

Regional Office

...with membersHigh profile

Union noticeboardPhotocopy mailings etc

Staff briefings

Organising the School Group

• Keeping a register of members• School Group meetings• Time for NUT Rep role• Sharing the Rep role

• Involving local Officers• Health & Safety and Learning Reps• Making the Union central to school

life• Professional unity

Influencing school policy and procedures

“Copying the Union in...”relevant memos, minutes,consultations

etcProfessional Unity

Regular (not crisis) Reps’ meetings with SMT

Getting advice and supportTeacher Governor(s)

Providing Support To Members

First “port of call”Acting as “a friend or Trade Union

rep”Contacting local Officers &

passing things onKeeping matters alive

Developing Professional Unity

Our Aim - One Union For All Teachers

...but in the meantime

Recruitment to NUT - the professional unity Union

Joint meetings, agreed positions, joint activity

Campaigning for Union PoliciesWorkload

Pay & Pensions“A Good Local School For Every

Child” Performance Management Continuing Professional

DevelopmentClass Size

Pupil BehaviourTesting & Assessment

The Organising Culture & the role of the NUT School Rep

Recruiting membersStaying in touchCommunicating

Organising the School GroupInfluencing School policy & procedures

Providing support to membersDeveloping professional unity

CampaigningWhatever’s possible with all

the time & training available to you!

Survey of School Reps

Reps were asked about any time made available by the school for them to carry out their role…

• Only 11% had sought such ‘facilities’ time• Only 7% had any such time made available

Reps were asked about taking part in union training

• Attended national Reps’ training 17%• Attended other national training 12%• Attended local training 67%

Thank you very much!Your work, as

•“correspondent”•first port of call

•friend and adviser•channel of communication

•union recruiter and organiser

or ANY of the above is vital to the Union, our members, and the

profession as a whole

The question is…

...what do you need from the Union to allow you to do the job most effectively, and to help develop our organising

culture?