Fight for every vote

Our indicative ballot of teacher members is well underway- and it is the overriding responsibility of every activist to fight for every vote in the remaining weeks til the ballot closes at the end of term.

Every day that passes brings more evidence that unless we fight we will get nothing but cuts and worsening lives for our students and all educators from Starmer’s government.

The utterly shocking and despicable attacks on disabled people are just the latest example. Nor is government shy about boasting that its teachers’ pay plans will mean more damaging cuts in schools.

It openly says that only 1.3 percent of its proposed 2.8 percent teacher pay rise is funded- leaving schools to find the rest from existing budgets.

Not only is the planned rise still well below forecast inflation- with the Bank of England predicting 3.7 percent by September when the pay award comes in- meaning a fall in living standards yet again.

But the cuts needed to pay the award will damage children’s education and lead to ever worsening workload for those still in schools.

That’s why we have to stand and fight and organise, argue and push for every vote in the coming weeks.

We shouldn’t have to- as one of the few promises Starmer made was to abolish the ridiculous Tory ballot thresholds on legal strike action. But now the government is looking to delay that and put it off as long as possible, leaving the thresholds in place.

So in every school we need to go round and relentlessly push people to vote- if people say they are fed up of being reminded there is a simple answer- just vote!

In every district plans for more briefings, reminders, phone banking need to be implemented. Ballot committees need to be pulled together, pulling in the ballot volunteers – members who have told  the union they will help- and phone every rep, and as many members as possible and push them to vote and get others to vote.

No half measures, no softly softly- but full on relentless organising and pushing right up to the end of the ballot to pile up as many votes as possible.

Strike surge

The last weeks have seen a remarkable surge in local strikes in many areas of the country.

The NEU has seen almost 100 indicative ballots just this calendar year- a new high. Many have led to gains for members even before action.

But members have shown they are willing to move to strike action too to demand justice and win what they deserve.

Here we publish a round up of just some of the  fights. If you have a picture or report on a local fight in your area please send to   [email protected] and we will include in our next bulletin. Please send pics and include the following information: a) date of pic/picket/demo. b) name of school. c) name of NEU district d) very brief description of key issues involved. e) future strike plans f) address for messages of support. It’s great to see pics posted of picket lines- but a bit more is needed for those not in your immediate area to understand and to organise solidarity!

Victory in North Somerset

NEU members in the Medical Tuition phase of the North Somerset PRU have won a major victory over non payment of the SEN point.  Formal ballot was early to mid January.  Late January (before any strike days taken) the SEN point was won going forward, plus 3 months back pay.  This was rejected, as was a further offer of 9 months back pay.  Members were wanting 5 years.  After 7 days of strike action over 3 weeks, with a further 16 continuous days in the diary, the pay appeal committee at the PRU agreed to back pay not for just 5 years, but to point of appointment.  For one member this means 17 years back pay.  Solidity and unity were key to this overwhelming victory.  Every time we were asked to suspend strikes for a meeting, or a panel hearing, the unanimous answer was “no”.    They wanted to go in hard to get the dispute over before the external exam period.  This worked.  They’re back in, with the dispute won, on 7th March. 

And victory in Leytonstone…

After a series of strikes NEU members at Leytonstone school, in Waltham Forest London have won a victory in their battle over PRP, pay grades and flexible working. This comes alongside a mini-strike wave across Waltham Forest which has also seen strikes at Lammas and Willowfield schools. (pictures below)

Crucial Maternity Fight in Lambeth

NEU members at the Dunraven MAT schools in Lambeth, south London are in a battle vital for the whole union- to win improved maternity rights. They are on strike demanding the trust levels up to the much better maturity rights across Lambeth council run schools. Maternity rights for educators is a vital battle for the whole union- with women in their 30s the biggest single group leaving the profession and poor maternity a key driver of that. It is collective action, both in local fights like at Dunraven and by the whole union that will secure the maternity rights our members deserve everywhere.

Harris victory on Overseas Trained Teachers

NEU members in Harris Federation schools and sixth form colleges have win an important victory following a strong result in a strike ballot of over 700 NEU members.

The move to strike forced Harris to negotiate and retreat in particular on its unfair treatment of Caribbean and other Overseas Trained Teachers. The fight was also around addressing concerns over pay progression policies and workload. NEU general secretary Daniel Kebede says:

“All teachers and support staff at the 18 Harris academies who stood up for their rights should feel proud of the stance they were prepared to take for fair pay, conditions and the unjust treatment of overseas trained teacher colleagues. While there is still more to do this is a remarkable achievement and a testimony to the strength in collective action.

“Addressing the exploitation of overseas trained teachers by Harris Federation is a victory. This was Harris Federation’s Windrush. This is a record they should be ashamed of, and it is right that it is finally being addressed.”

Round up….

Welfare not Warfare; Books not Bombs

The blatant old style imperialist care up of Ukraine being planned by Trump and Putin is shocking and shows a total disregard for the ordinary people of Ukraine.

And it is clear part of the deal planned would be the US getting its hands on Ukraine’s raw materials, reconstuction contracts and in essence taking over much of the economy.

The response of Starmer, and the EU, is to demand ever more arms spending- to appease Trump and to seek to build up their own military power.

And they have made clear this will come at the expense of public services- from overseas aid, to disability benefits, from schools to hospitals- and ordinary people’s living standards.

The simple truth is that arms races, or jacking up military spending has not and will not deliver peace and justice . War preparation leads to war, destruction and more death – and it is always ordinary working people who suffer in that.

That’s why the NEU Left will be arguing at NEU conference in a few weeks against both the imperial carve of Ukraine and also to oppose Starmer’s new war plans- and saying loud and clear we are for welfare not warfare, for books not bombs.

Stand Against new Gaza horror

As we were producing this bulletin Israel broke the ceasefire in Gaza by launching murderous air strikes killing hundreds of innocent civilians. This new horror, on top of the genocidal slaughter Israel and its Western backers have already inflicted on Palestinians demands we continue to build the solidarity movement and back every protest and demo- in the way the NEU has long been at the forefront of doing. Watch out for local and national protests in the coming days and weeks and build in your are to make them as big and angry as possible.

Disarm Education

A new campaign has been launched by educators, parents and students to kick arms companies out of schools. Visit disarmeducation.org for more information and to get involved.