https://www.thoughtco.com/weighing-the-decision-to-join-a-teachers-union-3194787 (accessed March 1, 2023). In addition, as a member you will have access toprofessional advice and guidance, a wide range of opportunities for professional development and training, and many other benefits.. Actually, the presidents of the two national teachers unions expressed support for mandatory vaccinations for some public school employees other than those who receive a medical, religious, or other [] We provide teachers with the resources, representation and support they need to further their professional practice and stay well on the job. For instance, thanks to lobbying by the National Education . In the event of a strike, the Department for Education expects the headteacher to take all reasonable steps to keep the school open for as many pupils as possible, it says. These events will be coordinated by union representatives. It should be noted that these are referred to as voluntary or optional and, as such, there is no requirement for you to respond. She expressed the importance of working together to avoid strike action especially given the significant disruption due to the pandemic over recent years. It can take up to 24 months to fully remove a teacher from the staff rolls, even if a disciplinary action process was followed correctly. In a flurry of announcements on Monday evening, the NEU, the country's biggest teaching union, confirmed that teachers would begin strike action over pay across England from 1 February 2023 after the result of its ballot. 3. Strike action at school: dismissal. Members employed in schools/colleges cannot be required by law to cover the work of striking workers. School support staff who are members of the NEU took part in a strike ballot, but the turnout for this vote was below the legal minimum threshold. If you don't know your TRN, you can contact the teacher qualifications helpdesk to request your number on 0207 593 5394. We are committed to working together with our sister trade unions to secure the best deal for our members. Members are advised to check the specific terms of their contract and establish whether it includes any element of general cover for absent colleagues. That assumes you only expect the minimum. Legal Protection While union membership is not mandatory, a teacher who joins a union is provided legal protection and other benefits. All teacher unions are fighting for better pay for teachers and headteachers. Only Virginia ranks above the national median in terms of educational outcomes in the United States without having a strong union presence in the classroom. Employees are entitled to self-certify for the first seven days of sickness absence, following which a fit note will be required. However, free schools, academies established after 29 July 2012 and any academy established prior to this date that has agreed a change to their funding agreement, are exempt from this and so can use support staff for lesson cover if required. They would not be teaching students of other colleagues, but perhaps supervising them in the library etc. The responsibility of school and college leaders is to ensure that the school/college can open safely for any pupils and staff who may be on site. A definition of vulnerable children and critical workers can be found at Annex B of guidance for Emergency planning and response for education, childcare and childrens social care settings. Can schools negotiate with unions on who is included in strikes? When members are treated like a faucet that leaders can turn on or off for effect, theyre not really being organized just mobilized.. The credit union loan process varies from place to place, but most have similar requirements: Application: You'll need to fill out an application, either online or on paper. Union membership Dont worry we wont send you spam or share your email address with anyone. Education Secretary Gillian Keegan held a constructive meeting with union leaders on Monday, 9 January. For the subsequent years, membership will befrom 186.40 per year. To say that workers have no right NOT to join a union is to say that workers are the slaves of the union, that they are the property of that union, and . There should be no expectation for NASUWT members to set or mark work or teach the pupils of those teachers from other unions who are taking industrial action. Looking for your next role? The above advice would also apply in schools where there is no deputy/vice-principal or an assistant head who has a job description that requires them to deputise for the headteacher/principal. Wednesday 1 March 2023: all eligible members in the following English regions: Thursday 2 March 2023: all eligible members in the following English regions: How many staff and schools will be impacted? Tuesday, 28 February (Northern, North West, Yorkshire and Humber regions), Wednesday, 1 March (East Midlands, Western, Eastern regions), Thursday, 2 March (London, South East, South West regions). When we take this perspective, it becomes clear that in most communities, the presence of a union for teachers is helpful. There is no requirement or obligation for NASUWT members to advise their employer whether they will be in work or not ahead of the day of any strike action. The amount that is deducted will depend on the staff members salary, and whether they are part-time or full-time. Inspired by a vision of high-quality education for all young people, ASCL aims to be the first-choice professional body for all school, college and system leaders., The cost:23 per month for headteachersand executives, 19 for deputy heads, 15 for assistant heads, 14 for business leaders (costs are increasing after December 2018 to33per month for headteachersand executives, 27for deputy heads, 21.75for assistant heads, 20for business leaders), For more information visit the ASCL website. Members requiring professional support out of hours should contact their Local Association Secretary or National Executive Member. Of course,. This is also known as freedom of association. What do non-striking members of staff do if their school is closed due to the strikes? some year groups/class sent home, or will close. That is why some teachers decide to opt out of representation even if it is available. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, full-time union members had median weekly earnings of $1,169 in 2021, versus. Please see the advice above to members, which covers the factors that should be taken into consideration when arriving at a decision. If the elected officials are not experienced in the negotiating process, then the union can achieve costly concessions that drive up the costs of local education. Even if you leave a union in some states, you can be forced to pay an "agency fee.". By law, there is no requirement or obligation for NASUWT members to tell their employer or headteacher whether they are a member of the NASUWT or whether they will be attending work on the day of a strike. We are aware that many employers are requesting information from staff regarding their intentions on 1 February. You have the right to: choose to join or not join a union decide to leave or remain a member of a union belong to the union you choose, even if it's not the one your employer. There is a wide range of existing resources available to support provision on this basis, including those available through the Government-funded Oak National Academy. Can a teacher be asked to cover for striking colleagues? The term partial performance refers to circumstances where an employee does not fulfil the duties and requirements as set out in their contracts of employment. Membership of the TUC also commits unions to take steps to ensure that they are not poaching members of another unions, whether intentionally or otherwise. Should NASUWT members cross another unions picket line? Teachers receive annual pay rises through an independent pay review process, and many teachers also see greater uplifts by progressing up the pay scales. A risk assessment should then be conducted to determine whether the school will be closed to all pupils or partially closed with some classes being excluded for the day. Striking will also impact pension contributions and it should be noted that strike days do not count for reckonable service purposes within the Teachers Pension Scheme. Advice for headteachers/principals and other senior leaders There should be no expectation placed on members of the NASUWT to undertake the work of premises staff, cleaners or catering staff. If large numbers of staff strike, schools may need to restrict attendance for some pupils. I have been told that the best way to support strike action by other unions is by becoming a member of another union or by ending my membership of the NASUWT. Deciding what union you join is typically dictated by the district in which you work. Members requiring professional support out of hours should contact their Local Association Secretary or National Executive Member. Tel: 0121 453 6150 Because the United States operates through representation instead of as a direct democracy, the negotiation process for a collective bargaining agreement requires local politicians to protect the best interests of the taxpayer. They should also contact the NASUWT to advise what has taken place and to seek further advice and support. The Education Secretary and officials from the Department for Education (DfE) continue to meet the trades unions to try to prevent strike action. Professional development, training and events. If this isnt possible then the school should be closed. No. They often offer terrific professional development opportunities for members. If I refuse a written instruction to undertake the work of other colleagues who are taking industrial action, what are the possible consequences? ThoughtCo. Is it appropriate for unions that are taking industrial action to recruit members of the NASUWT to join them? Teachers in non-union districts have seen their raises and promotional opportunities tied to student testing performance. The presence of a teachers union works to counter these differences by providing a consistent foundation from which to work. The annual school calendar of events should have been consulted on and agreed with the recognised trade unions and staff prior to the summer break. Supply teachers The guidance also says schools could seek out new volunteers but they would have to work alongside staff or a volunteer with a DBS check if they had no suitable DBS check themselves. But these schools can use support staff to provide cover supervision or oversee alternative activities, according to government guidance. Conditions. The goal of a public or private union is essentially the same: to improve the working conditions of each employee, provide them with a grievance system to protect their employment, and ensure that safety is a top priority. Han: We know that unions increase salaries and benefits, but people also argue that unions make it harder for teachers to get fired. appropriate risk assessments, energy costs, IT equipment, etc. Due to a change in legislation last summer, schools and trusts are legally entitled to. Were clear that their pay should reflect that which is why the pay rise teachers are receiving this year is the highest in a generation. ), If you are an NASUWT member working in Wales, you can email the Wales/Cymru National Centre for support, advice and information. One decision that a new teacher may face is whether or not they should join a teachers union. Your Right to Form a Union Not represented by a union, but want to be? but will consider re-running the vote due to concerns that postal strikes impacted on the delivery and return of ballot papers. ), 2023 NASUWT all rights reserved What should I do to ensure I dont have pay deducted? Search from thousands of teaching jobs both in the UK and overseas. You will need to provide your full name, date of birth and national insurance number. We promote the continual, career-long professional development of our members . An NASUWT supply teacher on a long-term assignment would need to report for work to the school where they are undertaking the assignment as they would on any other day. This should not be subject to change, including as a consequence of industrial action. Members are strongly advised not to provide such information if they are requested to do so. Under health and safety legislation, your employer has a legal duty to ensure that your school/college is safe to open. As a result,support staff will be expected to be in their school if it is open, so they could be an option for cover. Some teacher strikes can be lengthy. In these circumstances, NASUWT members should contact the headteacher/principal, or an appropriate senior person in the school/college or an appropriate person in the employing authority, if the headteacher/principal is not available. The legal position Any obligations in respect of health and safety and the completion of risk assessments rests with the employer and I am sure you will be informed of the number of staff taking industrial action accordingly. The act allows public-employee unions to collect private information on teachers and other workers, makes it illegal for administrators and school board members to discourage teachers from joining or staying in the union, and restricts public-records requests to make it difficult for taxpayer and other outside groups to inform workers that they Our responsibility is to do nothing that would undermine industrial action by our sister trade unions. The NASUWT does not accept that it is the role of headteachers or SMT members to undermine industrial action by other unions. The member would then have to request leave from the school. The goal of a public or private union is essentially the same: to improve the working conditions of each employee, provide them with a grievance system to protect their employment, and ensure that safety is a top priority. Dont include personal or financial information like your National Insurance number or credit card details. As a result. No. NEU teacher members in Wales also voted for strikes. There should be no expectation placed on NASUWT members to set or mark work or to teach pupils who are at home due to the absence of members of other unions who are taking industrial action. Curriculum changes have been demanded at times, requiring compliance with religious dogma, extreme secularism, and problematic assignments. Teacher strikes Q&A: everything you need to know. Striking can also impact on redundancy payments if the loss of days for strike action reduces the number of full years of continuous employment. The single exception to this is where there are genuine grounds to believe that crossing the picket line would put the person concerned at risk of injury. We understand the pressures many teachers, like the rest of society, are facing now due to the challenge of high inflation. The NASUWT will take a robust stance against any employer, legally and industrially, where an employer chooses to take punitive action against members who refuse to cover the work of other colleagues who are taking part in industrial action. In regard to teachers on short-term, day-to-day supply, the Union appreciates that the repeal of the ban on supplying agency workers during strikes has put you in a very difficult situation in respect of industrial action taken by another union. The NEU has announced it has met the threshold required in a ballot of its teacher members to strike in schools across England. 5. What happens if you don't join the union? If the school is scheduled to be wholly or partly open on the day of the strike and the headteacher/principal does not attend for work on that date, the deputy/vice-principal should carry out their normal responsibilities in deputising for the headteacher/principal. The deputy/vice-principal will, on that day, have to make their own decision about whether the school should stay open based upon their own risk assessment. Do I have to set cover/amalgamate class groups - again I am concerned about the health and safety implications? The testing alternative offers a simple answer to some of these logistical questions: If teachers can't or won't get vaccinated for whatever reason, they have to test. Part of that problem is the one year contracts, but that's maybe for another thread. We're talking about 2 to 4 percent who are demonstrably ineffective." He added,. After returning from maternity leave to a part-time contract with a PPA timetable, I have been asked to cover classes of striking colleagues. A hotline staffed by former leaders and regional support. When I ask my colleagues the same question about their high school teachers from one or two generations ago, virtually none can . Tuesday 28 February 2023: all eligible members in the following English regions: Northern, North West, Yorkshire and the Humber. She and her ministers have committed to further meetings. What can I do? Being asked to cover for striking colleagues Express your support to colleagues on the picket line. Where a union taking strike action establishes a picket line, refusal to cross it would render a teacher who is not a member of the union(s) taking strike action liable to disciplinary action, including the deduction of salary, as it would be considered as participating in unlawful industrial action. NASUWT, Rose Hill, Rednal, Birmingham B45 8RS Where safety concerns cannot be addressed, such mitigation as necessary should be considered, including determining whether it is safe for the school to open during the period of industrial action. They are the people who see and understand what students require to maximize their educational opportunities. As well as calling for industrial action, influencing government policy and campaigning for better conditions, the unions also offer their members legal and financial advice, and insurance. By working together in a teachers' union, each teacher can advocate for their own classroom and district while being able to support students at state or national levels simultaneously. It will be at the discretion of school leaders as to how many pupils they can provide for depending on the numbers of staff available. It also says schools could negotiate around staff who would suffer long-term financial loss from taking part in strikes, such as: Although school leaders union the NAHT did not meet the minimum turnout threshold for strikes in its ballot, headteachers can be members of the NEU, so it could be that some will strike, too. It is therefore not appropriate for any trade union to deliberately and actively seek to poach members of other trade unions to bolster industrial action. Republicans and Democrats can see the purpose of education in very different ways, impacting the overall teaching environment and salary expectations that are available from year-to-year. 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