MESSAGE FROM CHRIS KEATES

NASUWT GENERAL SECRETARY

Welcome back to one and all. The Executive Committee would like to take this opportunity to wish you well for the coming academic year. For new members of the NASUWT either new to the area or embarking upon their fledging teaching careers please make contact with your school representative in the Autumn term as a means of discovering what support is available to you and the latest information regarding work practices.

For further details on pensions and the NASUWT campaign www.nasuwt.org.uk/ChampioningPublicSectorPensions

NEWSLETTER OCT 2011 Contact : Brian Parkinson Secretary

01427 874 54 or 07825 008505

PREPARING FOR ACTION ...MAKE SURE YOU VOTE!

You will no doubt be aware that the TUC Day of Action is planned for Nov 30th. The NASUWT National executive passed a resolution to begin the preparations for a national ballot across the UK. This is a major decision which will determine the future of teachers across the UK. The teaching profession and state education are on the brink of a crisis as a result of the policies of the coalition government. The time has now arrived for the NASUWT to ballot members on industrial action. Whilst pensions are at the forefront of the dispute other important terms and conditions have been eroded or placed in jeopardy. A stand must now be taken to protect jobs. The level of action to be taken will be determined by the responses to the ballot from you the members. Ballot papers look likely to be sent after October half term but before then it is vital that your memberships details are up to date. Please ensure you have your say by completing the ballot paper and returning it once you receive it. Ways to update your membership • Register and log in to your account at nasuwt.org.uk (log in then Active area/E-membership access) • Ring the membership team at HQ 01214573211 • Phone or E-Mail Denise Wain 01302 834108

Organising the Ballot The Secretary is organising a series of meetings on a pyramid basis to prepare members for the ballot for industrial action that opens on 4th November. If you are not aware of any arrangements that include you, please contact him to make sure that you are included in one of them.

PENSIONS UPDATE

NOTICE BOARD

PAY AND CONDITIONS

It is well to remember that School Teachers’ Pay and conditions remain unchanged. However there have been sadly a lot of Support Staff redundancies and it is important that we are not asked to do their work. Therefore: • ‘Rarely Cover’ still basically means’

no cover for teachers’. • The 24 tasks still exists. • No teacher should be expected to

bulk photocopy collect money invigilate exams do lunch duty.

• At the start of the school year a calendar should be produced and agreed upon (with only one meeting a week) and

• A Directed Time budget published

Work Life Balance Join in the Joint Lobby of Parliament on Pensions

Wednesday 26th October 2011

Up to 25000 teachers and lecturers will gather at parliament in a mass lobby to protest against draconian pension cuts in the education sector. The aim of the lobby is to get at least one member from every school to participate and represent their school and staff to meet with MP whose constituency the school is situated within. The day has been organise during half term in order to allow teachers who feel so strongly about pension cuts to attend and ensure no disruption to schools. Please Contact:

Brian Parkinson

Secretary

01427 874 54 or 07825 008505

Joint Lobby of Parliament PaPParliament

NASUWT is committed to the principles and practices of equal opportunities in the work place. The NASUWT is at the forefront of formulating policies on all equality issues relevant to teachers in the workplace and education in general. Moreover the Union has developed a range of policies and initiatives to enable teachers to progress towards the goal of equal opportunities in schools and colleges. The NASUWT holds a number of Equality Consultation Conferences which are free to all members. The national NASUWT website has pages for under-represented groups as well as reports and videos of the conferences.

Equality Issues

NOTICE BOARD

Next Executive Meeting WEDNESDAY 9th NOVEMBER 5.00pm Earl of Doncaster. All welcome.

Advice for Performance Management We are now all at that time of year when we will be reviewing our professional development with our performance manager. At the same meeting we will be setting our targets for the forthcoming cycle. Many of our members will be aware that the Coalition Government is proposing significant unhelpful changes to the PM process but they will not be enforced until next year and all colleagues must contact their rep or the association secretary if they experience attempts to introduce the changes earlier. At the present time, we stick with the status quo. It is vital that our members engage with this process fully, for their own benefit, especially if this year will be one of the two years cycles that will impact upon their threshold payment and progression. Make sure that you do not accept targets that are of a numerical nature such as pupil outcomes. We have posted the arguments why they are inappropriate on our website and you can use these in your discussions with your reviewer. Again, if you hit a barrier contact your rep. or get in touch with the secretary.

This year there has been a significant increase in the number of colleagues who have been refused progression on that basis.

Please ask for advice if you are uncertain.

Next General Meeting WEDNESDAY 16th NOVEMBER 5.30pm Earl of Doncaster. All welcome

Visit your local NASUWT website at www.doncaster-nasuwt.co.uk/