Education White Paper The NUT’s campaign and strike ballot

“I want to be clear there will be no pulling back from that vision, there is no reverse gear when it comes to our education reforms.” Nicky Morgan at NASUWT 2016 Conference

“In a month we have seen baseline scrapped, SPAG Key Stage 1 tests scrapped and now the central plank of the White Paper, forced academies.” Christine Blower (6/5/16) “Nicky Morgan had to find ‘reverse gear’ after all.” Martin Powell-Davies” (NUT London Regional Secretary) (8/5/16)

“The spectre of forced academisation still looms over many schools along with the threat to remove the requirement for elected parent places on the governing boards of academy trusts. ” Christine Blower (6/5/16) First round to the NUT

New academisation proposals Top schools won’t be forced to join Multi-Academy Trusts (MATs) “Underperforming” schools risk academisation Schools in “unviable” or “underperforming” Local Authorities (LAs) can be forced to become academies April’s Education and Adoption Act increased powers to Regional Schools Commissioners to intervene against 'failing', 'coasting' or 'underperforming‘ schools. They remain at threat of forced academisation.

The White Paper & Nicky Morgan’s new proposals Forced academisation in another form Total de-regulation of pay and conditions for teachers and support staff Replacing QTS with “on the job” training Removal of requirement for elected parent governors in schools “Being a parent is not a skill set needed to be a governor.” Nicky Morgan “Being a parent is not a skill set needed to be a governor.” Nicky Morgan

So it’s not over yet “The NUT's job will not be complete until we have finally lifted the threat to teachers' jobs, pay and conditions.” Christine Blower

Wrong priorities What about: The growing teacher shortage? The growing teacher shortage? The lack of pupil places? The lack of pupil places? The curriculum chaos? The curriculum chaos? The funding crisis? The funding crisis?

Academisation ineffective “I don’t think we have any evidence on that (academisation) so far. We certainly have no evidence at all for primary schools” Professor Stephen Machin Ofsted says many Academy chains are performing very badly

Undemocratic  Proposals not in Tory manifesto  80% of LA schools “Good” or “Outstanding” & have stayed with the LA  No right to elect parent governors

Expensive  Original 100% forced academisation estimated to cost £1.3 billion  Academy chains pay Chief Executives very high salaries

The threat to pay & conditions  So far most academies have stuck to national pay & conditions – but how much longer will they exist?  The School Teachers’ Pay & Conditions Document would probably be abolished  The Burgundy Book and local authority agreements would wither away

With no STPCD, we could lose:  a national teachers’ pay structure  the right to pay progression  the 195 working days and 1265 directed hours limits  the right to 10% minimum PPA time  protection against cover and administrative tasks

... and with no Burgundy Book or local agreements we could also lose:... and with no Burgundy Book or local agreements we could also lose:  sick pay from day one, full pay for six months  maternity pay well above the legal minimum  current notice periods & redundancy pay scheme  policies on leave of absence, paternity leave etc  local procedures for discipline, grievance, capability  NUT officers with facilities time ready to help you All of these matters would in future be decided at MAT level.

Funding cuts make matters worse  The funding freeze per pupil and higher NI and pension costs will cut the value of funding by 10% or more by 2020  Without extra money, a National Funding Formula will cut funding by much more in some areas  Funding pressures are already threatening pay increases and progression  Without extra funding and the protection of national pay and conditions, things will get much worse much faster

That’s why the NUT is balloting members for strike action The NUT is going to ballot members in all schools & academies for “discontinuous” strike action The NUT is going to ballot members in all schools & academies for “discontinuous” strike action We are demanding more funding for better national pay and conditions that apply to all schools & academies We are demanding more funding for better national pay and conditions that apply to all schools & academies We are seeking the support of all other education unions We are seeking the support of all other education unions We are campaigning to defend education and balloting to defend our pay and conditions We are campaigning to defend education and balloting to defend our pay and conditions Ballot opens Monday 23 May Ballot opens Monday 23 May Ballot closes Wednesday 22 June Ballot closes Wednesday 22 June Intention is to call a one-day strike in July and announce additional autumn term strike dates as well Intention is to call a one-day strike in July and announce additional autumn term strike dates as well We need a big turnout and a huge YES vote We need a big turnout and a huge YES vote It is important that all members understand what we are doing, why we are doing it and when we are doing it. It is important that all members understand what we are doing, why we are doing it and when we are doing it.

What NUT reps need to do  Hold a school meeting to explain the campaign and build the ballot  Work with colleagues to ensure every NUT member votes – we need the biggest possible turnout  Recruit non-members to the NUT  Volunteer for the phone bank to call members in schools without reps and encourage colleagues to do likewise  With colleagues, speak to parents and carers and circulate the NUT leaflet – and approach local councillors about supporting the NUT model motion

Campaigning to defend education The NUT is seeking to build a broad alliance to campaign against the government’s proposals to force all schools to become academies Join us in: lobbying MPs and organising local and national protests lobbying MPs and organising local and national protests asking councils to pass a model motion against the White Paper asking councils to pass a model motion against the White Paper talking to parents and local politicians to get their support talking to parents and local politicians to get their support

These proposals are unpopular Here are just some of the critics… Trade unions Trade unions Mumsnet: “Government plans are despicable” Mumsnet: “Government plans are despicable” Financial Times & The Economist Financial Times & The Economist National Governors Association National Governors Association Local Government Association Local Government Association Labour and Liberal Democrats Labour and Liberal Democrats Conservative Chairs of Education, Conservative MPs and the Bow Group & 1922 Committee groups Conservative Chairs of Education, Conservative MPs and the Bow Group & 1922 Committee groups And many, many more And many, many more

The ballot phone bank We need the highest possible ballot turnout to demonstrate strength of feeling We need the highest possible ballot turnout to demonstrate strength of feeling If members feel confident and part of a collective, they are more likely to vote and take action If members feel confident and part of a collective, they are more likely to vote and take action We’re asking for volunteers to help call members and urge them to vote yes in the ballot We’re asking for volunteers to help call members and urge them to vote yes in the ballot Getting a call from another NUT member who understands the issues faced by teachers will make a vital difference – so to help with this hugely important task, please register at Getting a call from another NUT member who understands the issues faced by teachers will make a vital difference – so to help with this hugely important task, please register at

NUT members - Your Union needs YOU! This is the biggest attack on education and teachers for a generation This is the biggest attack on education and teachers for a generation BUT we have most voters and many other organisations on our side and the Government is divided – we can stop these proposals BUT we have most voters and many other organisations on our side and the Government is divided – we can stop these proposals Every NUT member can help us build a campaign to stop them by voting YES in the ballot, volunteering for the ballot phone bank and joining in other activities Every NUT member can help us build a campaign to stop them by voting YES in the ballot, volunteering for the ballot phone bank and joining in other activities #tellNickyNO #handsoffourschools #tellNickyNO #handsoffourschools Please vote YES in the ballot Please vote YES in the ballot

We can win this one! Iain Duncan Smith resigns Iain Duncan Smith resigns The EU referendum The EU referendum Working families tax credits retreat Working families tax credits retreat Disability benefits retreat Disability benefits retreat Junior Doctors’ dispute Junior Doctors’ dispute

Twitter #tellNickyNO #handsoffourschools #tellNickyNO #handsoffourschools

“The spectre of forced academisation still looms over many schools along with the threat to remove the requirement for elected parent places on the governing boards of academy trusts. ” Christine Blower (6/5/16) First round to the NUT