Lewisham NUT Newsletter September 2005
A copy is available on the website
http://socialistteachers.org.uk/sept2005.doc
It can be read in Open Office or Microsoft Word
The text follows:
Pay cuts? PPA problems? Pension attacks?
NUT: READY TO HELP – but we need to hear from YOU !
ACK TO SCHOOL! – and back to a whole set of pressing issues that every NUT member needs to pay careful attention to – to make sure that you don’t lose out !
BTop of the list has to be the staffing reviews that every school has to complete by December setting out how they are going to replace existing Management Allowances with the new TLR payments.
Remember, TLRs will be set at different values to existing Allowances – inviting governors to save money by cutting teachers’ pay. We hope that Lewisham schools will want to avoid the upheaval and ill-feeling that either pay cuts and/or a major overhaul of staffing structures would cause. But we can’t take anything for granted. That’s why your NUT group needs to find out what is happening in your school and to ask the Union for support.
Schools will also be introducing the new guarantee of 10% PPA (planning, preparation and assessment) time. The NUT has long fought for additional non-contact time, particularly for primary colleagues. The legislation also states that there should also be “no detriment” in schools that previously had better arrangements. But schools have been told to implement the change without having the resources needed to employ additional qualified teachers to cover the release time. That’s why staff need to carefully monitor how PPA is being delivered in their school.
September is also when schools should be updating salary assessments for teachers – and letting eligible staff know if they have progressed on the Upper Pay Spine. Reviews in some schools have been shockingly delayed in recent years. Legislation now clearly states decisions should be made by October 31st at the latest. Again, ask for help!
If that’s not all, then this term also sees the start of new short-notice OFSTED inspections, a Government White Paper promising “more choice” for parents, as well as the threat that battle may recommence against plans to raise the pension age from 60 to 65.
FIND OUT MORE!
Come along on SEPT 19th to the next LEWISHAM NUT MEETING, at the PDC, 5pm !
WELCOME BACK ! from Martin Powell-Davies, Secretary, Lewisham NUT.
Dear Colleagues,
I hope you’ve had a well-earned rest and a chance to recharge your batteries – because we all know that it doesn’t take too long before they’ve been drained away by the pressures of work!
The Union will certainly need to be busy, keeping abreast of TLRs, PPA and all the other issues we face – but remember, the Union is YOU along with all your NUT colleagues. Lewisham NUT Officers will be working as hard as ever to support you but, to succeed, we’ll need every school group to be keeping us informed about progress in their school.
***
School reps will be the key point of contact – and we want to make sure every school has a named rep who feels confident that they are able to keep on top of the issues as the term progresses. That’s why we are asking every school to send an NUT colleague to the:
NUT REPS TRAINING DAY, LEWISHAM TOWN HALL, MONDAY SEPTEMBER 26th, from 9.30 – 3.30
If you don’t know who is attending from your school, why not volunteer yourself?
The holidays have ended – as they began – with harrowing pictures – this time from New Orleans and Iraq. It was only in July that I travelled up to Edinburgh with a delegation of Lewisham NUT members and their families to join the thousands marching for a better world – and we certainly need one ! Days later, we saw the horror of suicide bombings in our own city. It has threatened to open up ethnic divisions in our communities – and we need to be on the look out for racist incidents in schools. I’ll be marching again – to oppose terror, racism and war – on the Stop the War national demonstration in London on September 24th – I hope some of you will be too.
***
You may also have seen how 800 low-paid workers at Heathrow were sacked by the union-busting management of “Gate Gourmet” on August 10th. This from a firm that pleads poverty when its owner spent $10 million on his 60th birthday party ! I have sent a message of support from Lewisham NUT. Send in any donations to the NUT Office.
I know it can be frustrating when you call the NUT Office only to get the voicemail ! But remember that Alison Long, the NUT Assistant Secretary, and I have our own teaching commitments as well as needing to be out of the office representing members and attending meetings. But if you leave a message we will get back to you as soon as we can !
To help make sure your calls and cases are dealt with as efficiently as possible, we have employed an assistant, Tracie Rajaram, who will be working three afternoons a week in the NUT Office.
Martin Powell-Davies
TLRs – ask for help – and ask for action !
The latest NUT News arriving in schools from the National Union sets out the threats to pay, promotion, PPA and pensions. It also makes clear that the Union is ready to ballot for action to support members where necessary – especially against the threat of pay cuts.
What you need to find out in your school:
The consultation timetable
Every school has to establish a procedure and a timetable to consult with staff and union reps about their proposals for TLRs and staffing reviews.
That timetable should include initial consideration of proposals with reps NOW – before governors make definite decisions that will then be hard to alter.
The timetable also needs to include plenty of time for staff to meet to consider proposals, to send them to the Union for advice and to fix up meetings between the Union and the Head to respond and make our own proposals.
The Head’s initial proposals
Only a minority of Heads in Lewisham appeared to have looked at the issue in any detail last term – but most should now have worked out draft proposals ready to put to staff.
You need to ask for details of the proposals – in writing so that you can send them to the NUT Office for advice.
* Have major changes to the staffing structure been proposed? – there is no requirement to do so.
* Are any staff threatened with the imposition of changes to their job
description, post or workload?
* Are all teachers going to be offered at least a TLR equivalent to their existing Management Allowance – i.e is anyone threatened with a pay cut ?
What the Union can do:
In schools where the Union has been involved in consultation so far, we hope that we have persuaded Heads to avoid any of these detrimental steps.
The Headteacher at Sedgehill School, for example, has already met twice last term with school and Lewisham union reps to discuss TLRs. She has agreed to the principle that no teacher will suffer a loss of pay – we hope other Lewisham schools will follow this example.
If, however, some schools fail to consult properly or attempt to impose pay cuts or other detrimental changes, then the Union has to be ready to stand firm in defence of every colleague. The quicker we can be informed of any likely problems, the quicker we can try and resolve them – and prepare for action should it prove necessary. As agreed at Lewisham NUT’s last General Meeting in June, we will also be pushing for the Union to organise national action to oppose these damaging changes and to win our claim for a 10% salary increase for all teachers – not the 2% on offer.
ASK NEW COLLEAGUES TO JOIN THE NUT !
These threats are made all the worse by the fact that the leaders of the NASUWT and ATL actually signed up to them ! That’s one more reason to make sure you ask new colleagues to join the NUT.
They can call the joining hotline: 0845 300 1669. Remind colleagues that new members have nothing to pay until February – the first term is free !
..and finally
Class Size
NUT and NASUWT members at Forest Hill School have requested ballots for strike action to oppose the introduction of class sizes over 30 in Year 7 from this term. Budget problems have forced the school to reduce the number of tutor groups in the year from nine to eight, while appeals have increased the roll to over 240. Teachers feel strongly that a maximum limit of 30 must not be breached, particularly when schools are having to cope with the inclusion of pupils with greater levels of emotional and behavioural difficulties.
Allegations Against Staff
Martin Powell-Davies is representing teachers on a joint group with Heads and LEA Officers to draw up clear guidelines on how to respond when allegations are made against staff by pupils or parents. This follows a number of cases last term which showed a lack of clarity and urgency in how the Council investigates such complaints.
38 hour cover limit
Some secondary colleagues complained that they were being asked to carry out excessive cover at the end of last term after their exam classes had left. Such “gained time” can be used for cover BUT still comes under the maximum 38 hour annual limit for cover. It is worth making sure that all NUT members keep their own record of the amount of cover they carry out this year.
PPA
We’re pleased that the PPA Survey forms returned by reps showed that - in these Lewisham schools at least - staff will be receiving their full PPA entitlement – and, in the main, with classes being taught by a qualified teacher at all times. But, where schools have recruited additional staff, this has put a strain on stretched budgets. In others, Deputies and others have had to increase their teaching load. Please keep the NUT Office informed of developments.
HOW TO
CONTACT
LEWISHAM
NUT
Write to: NUT Office, 25 Bromley Road, Catford, SE6 2TS
(post can be sent in the “blue bag” internal schools mail )
Phone: 020 8314 7487
Fax: 020 8285 1058
Email: secretary@lewisham.nut.org.uk
On the web: search the national website: www.teachers.org.uk
Coming soon – Lewisham NUT’s own website – look out for details.
MEETING DATES FOR 2005/6
NUT General Meetings are held on a Monday evening of each half-term at the Professional Development Centre, Kilmorie Road from 5 p.m to 6.30 pm:
September 19 & November 14 2005
January 23 & February 27 2006
May 8 & June 19 2006
Please make a note in your diary so you can meet your colleagues from schools across the borough to discuss the issues facing teachers and education.
Calling all Newly-Qualified Teachers ! – JOIN THE NUT !
With over 1500 members, Lewisham NUT is the largest and most effective Union association in the borough – make sure you are a member too. The annual fee for full-time NQTs is just £65 – with the first term free! CALL TO JOIN: 0845 300 1669.
* New teachers function at a local bar later this term – ask for your invite !
* Young Teachers’ NUT Conference 11-13 November – ring for details !
http://socialistteachers.org.uk/sept2005.doc
It can be read in Open Office or Microsoft Word
The text follows:
Pay cuts? PPA problems? Pension attacks?
NUT: READY TO HELP – but we need to hear from YOU !
ACK TO SCHOOL! – and back to a whole set of pressing issues that every NUT member needs to pay careful attention to – to make sure that you don’t lose out !
BTop of the list has to be the staffing reviews that every school has to complete by December setting out how they are going to replace existing Management Allowances with the new TLR payments.
Remember, TLRs will be set at different values to existing Allowances – inviting governors to save money by cutting teachers’ pay. We hope that Lewisham schools will want to avoid the upheaval and ill-feeling that either pay cuts and/or a major overhaul of staffing structures would cause. But we can’t take anything for granted. That’s why your NUT group needs to find out what is happening in your school and to ask the Union for support.
Schools will also be introducing the new guarantee of 10% PPA (planning, preparation and assessment) time. The NUT has long fought for additional non-contact time, particularly for primary colleagues. The legislation also states that there should also be “no detriment” in schools that previously had better arrangements. But schools have been told to implement the change without having the resources needed to employ additional qualified teachers to cover the release time. That’s why staff need to carefully monitor how PPA is being delivered in their school.
September is also when schools should be updating salary assessments for teachers – and letting eligible staff know if they have progressed on the Upper Pay Spine. Reviews in some schools have been shockingly delayed in recent years. Legislation now clearly states decisions should be made by October 31st at the latest. Again, ask for help!
If that’s not all, then this term also sees the start of new short-notice OFSTED inspections, a Government White Paper promising “more choice” for parents, as well as the threat that battle may recommence against plans to raise the pension age from 60 to 65.
FIND OUT MORE!
Come along on SEPT 19th to the next LEWISHAM NUT MEETING, at the PDC, 5pm !
WELCOME BACK ! from Martin Powell-Davies, Secretary, Lewisham NUT.
Dear Colleagues,
I hope you’ve had a well-earned rest and a chance to recharge your batteries – because we all know that it doesn’t take too long before they’ve been drained away by the pressures of work!
The Union will certainly need to be busy, keeping abreast of TLRs, PPA and all the other issues we face – but remember, the Union is YOU along with all your NUT colleagues. Lewisham NUT Officers will be working as hard as ever to support you but, to succeed, we’ll need every school group to be keeping us informed about progress in their school.
***
School reps will be the key point of contact – and we want to make sure every school has a named rep who feels confident that they are able to keep on top of the issues as the term progresses. That’s why we are asking every school to send an NUT colleague to the:
NUT REPS TRAINING DAY, LEWISHAM TOWN HALL, MONDAY SEPTEMBER 26th, from 9.30 – 3.30
If you don’t know who is attending from your school, why not volunteer yourself?
The holidays have ended – as they began – with harrowing pictures – this time from New Orleans and Iraq. It was only in July that I travelled up to Edinburgh with a delegation of Lewisham NUT members and their families to join the thousands marching for a better world – and we certainly need one ! Days later, we saw the horror of suicide bombings in our own city. It has threatened to open up ethnic divisions in our communities – and we need to be on the look out for racist incidents in schools. I’ll be marching again – to oppose terror, racism and war – on the Stop the War national demonstration in London on September 24th – I hope some of you will be too.
***
You may also have seen how 800 low-paid workers at Heathrow were sacked by the union-busting management of “Gate Gourmet” on August 10th. This from a firm that pleads poverty when its owner spent $10 million on his 60th birthday party ! I have sent a message of support from Lewisham NUT. Send in any donations to the NUT Office.
I know it can be frustrating when you call the NUT Office only to get the voicemail ! But remember that Alison Long, the NUT Assistant Secretary, and I have our own teaching commitments as well as needing to be out of the office representing members and attending meetings. But if you leave a message we will get back to you as soon as we can !
To help make sure your calls and cases are dealt with as efficiently as possible, we have employed an assistant, Tracie Rajaram, who will be working three afternoons a week in the NUT Office.
Martin Powell-Davies
TLRs – ask for help – and ask for action !
The latest NUT News arriving in schools from the National Union sets out the threats to pay, promotion, PPA and pensions. It also makes clear that the Union is ready to ballot for action to support members where necessary – especially against the threat of pay cuts.
What you need to find out in your school:
The consultation timetable
Every school has to establish a procedure and a timetable to consult with staff and union reps about their proposals for TLRs and staffing reviews.
That timetable should include initial consideration of proposals with reps NOW – before governors make definite decisions that will then be hard to alter.
The timetable also needs to include plenty of time for staff to meet to consider proposals, to send them to the Union for advice and to fix up meetings between the Union and the Head to respond and make our own proposals.
The Head’s initial proposals
Only a minority of Heads in Lewisham appeared to have looked at the issue in any detail last term – but most should now have worked out draft proposals ready to put to staff.
You need to ask for details of the proposals – in writing so that you can send them to the NUT Office for advice.
* Have major changes to the staffing structure been proposed? – there is no requirement to do so.
* Are any staff threatened with the imposition of changes to their job
description, post or workload?
* Are all teachers going to be offered at least a TLR equivalent to their existing Management Allowance – i.e is anyone threatened with a pay cut ?
What the Union can do:
In schools where the Union has been involved in consultation so far, we hope that we have persuaded Heads to avoid any of these detrimental steps.
The Headteacher at Sedgehill School, for example, has already met twice last term with school and Lewisham union reps to discuss TLRs. She has agreed to the principle that no teacher will suffer a loss of pay – we hope other Lewisham schools will follow this example.
If, however, some schools fail to consult properly or attempt to impose pay cuts or other detrimental changes, then the Union has to be ready to stand firm in defence of every colleague. The quicker we can be informed of any likely problems, the quicker we can try and resolve them – and prepare for action should it prove necessary. As agreed at Lewisham NUT’s last General Meeting in June, we will also be pushing for the Union to organise national action to oppose these damaging changes and to win our claim for a 10% salary increase for all teachers – not the 2% on offer.
ASK NEW COLLEAGUES TO JOIN THE NUT !
These threats are made all the worse by the fact that the leaders of the NASUWT and ATL actually signed up to them ! That’s one more reason to make sure you ask new colleagues to join the NUT.
They can call the joining hotline: 0845 300 1669. Remind colleagues that new members have nothing to pay until February – the first term is free !
..and finally
Class Size
NUT and NASUWT members at Forest Hill School have requested ballots for strike action to oppose the introduction of class sizes over 30 in Year 7 from this term. Budget problems have forced the school to reduce the number of tutor groups in the year from nine to eight, while appeals have increased the roll to over 240. Teachers feel strongly that a maximum limit of 30 must not be breached, particularly when schools are having to cope with the inclusion of pupils with greater levels of emotional and behavioural difficulties.
Allegations Against Staff
Martin Powell-Davies is representing teachers on a joint group with Heads and LEA Officers to draw up clear guidelines on how to respond when allegations are made against staff by pupils or parents. This follows a number of cases last term which showed a lack of clarity and urgency in how the Council investigates such complaints.
38 hour cover limit
Some secondary colleagues complained that they were being asked to carry out excessive cover at the end of last term after their exam classes had left. Such “gained time” can be used for cover BUT still comes under the maximum 38 hour annual limit for cover. It is worth making sure that all NUT members keep their own record of the amount of cover they carry out this year.
PPA
We’re pleased that the PPA Survey forms returned by reps showed that - in these Lewisham schools at least - staff will be receiving their full PPA entitlement – and, in the main, with classes being taught by a qualified teacher at all times. But, where schools have recruited additional staff, this has put a strain on stretched budgets. In others, Deputies and others have had to increase their teaching load. Please keep the NUT Office informed of developments.
HOW TO
CONTACT
LEWISHAM
NUT
Write to: NUT Office, 25 Bromley Road, Catford, SE6 2TS
(post can be sent in the “blue bag” internal schools mail )
Phone: 020 8314 7487
Fax: 020 8285 1058
Email: secretary@lewisham.nut.org.uk
On the web: search the national website: www.teachers.org.uk
Coming soon – Lewisham NUT’s own website – look out for details.
MEETING DATES FOR 2005/6
NUT General Meetings are held on a Monday evening of each half-term at the Professional Development Centre, Kilmorie Road from 5 p.m to 6.30 pm:
September 19 & November 14 2005
January 23 & February 27 2006
May 8 & June 19 2006
Please make a note in your diary so you can meet your colleagues from schools across the borough to discuss the issues facing teachers and education.
Calling all Newly-Qualified Teachers ! – JOIN THE NUT !
With over 1500 members, Lewisham NUT is the largest and most effective Union association in the borough – make sure you are a member too. The annual fee for full-time NQTs is just £65 – with the first term free! CALL TO JOIN: 0845 300 1669.
* New teachers function at a local bar later this term – ask for your invite !
* Young Teachers’ NUT Conference 11-13 November – ring for details !
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