Open Officers Meeting NEXT WEDNESDAY 6TH DECEMBER

Our next open officers' meeting will be held on Wednesday 6th December at the NEU (NUT Section) office from 4.30 - 6 pm.

These meetings are open to any NEU members (only NUT Section members can vote, however).

We have several motions to discuss - please attend if you are able! None of these motions will mean anything if we aren't quorate!

If you have any amendments to proposed motions or additional items for the agenda, please let us know by emailing kieran.picken@neu.org.uk

City of Derby NUT Open Officers Meeting

Wednesday 6^th December 2017

4.30 – 6 pm,

NEU (NUT Section) Office, Southgate Business Centre, Normanton Road, Derby DE23 6UQ (parking at rear).

Agenda

1.    Funding Crisis for Schools: response to the Budget

2.    Academy Trusts – how do we decapitate this zombie programme?

3.    Pay campaign

4.    Mental health and work-related stress in schools – see motion and South Derbyshire motion

5.    SATs

6.    Workload – how to campaign and win

7.    Anti-Racism Work

·         Stand Up To Racism (SUTR) activities and conference – see motion

·         Show Racism the Red Card

·         Ofsted and the Hijab – see motion

8.    International Work – solidarity with Zimbabwean Trades Unionists

9.    Next meetings

·         2^nd February AGM and President’s Reception at The Slice of India, 6.15 pm

·         Thursday 1^st March Officers and Committee Meeting at the NEU office 4.30 – 6 pm

10.  AOB

Motions

Motion 1: Support the 5% Pay Claim and Restore Funding for Schools

We note:

·         that the 5% pay claim submitted by the National Education Union was not included in the Autumn Budget and that

·         the government has failed to address the real-terms funding cuts which are affecting almost 9 out of 10 schools.

We further note that:

·         Teachers have had to suffer a cumulative 14% pay cut in real terms over the last seven years

·         That the STRB in its recommendations noted that a substantial pay rise for teachers must be made

·         That there is a continuing crisis in teacher recruitment and retention, which is having a negative effect on class sizes and resulting in more and more students being taught by unqualified teachers.

We therefore resolve to:

·         Encourage signatories to the parliamentary petition calling for a funded 5% pay increase for teachers and an end to the funding cuts through all available opportunities.

·         Call on our Executive members to push for action up to and including a ballot for national strike action to achieve the pay rise and increase in funding that we and our school system need.

Motion 2: Survey of mental health problems including work-related stress in Derby schools

We note:

·         That a recent survey of NEU members in South Derbyshire Association revealed high levels of stress and mental health concerns among teachers.

·         That the South Derbyshire Association has put forward a motion to National Conference calling for action over stress and other mental health concerns in schools.

We therefore resolve to:

·         Conduct a similar survey among City of Derby members of the NEU NUT Section and NEU Section

·         Ask our colleagues in the ATL Section to conduct the same survey.

·         Support South Derbyshire’s resolution at Conference.

Motion 3: Ofsted and Islamophobia

We note:

·         That there has been a rise in Islamophobic hate crimes this year and that powerful figures including the President of the United States have been complicit in promoting Islamophobic views

·         That the head of Ofsted, Amanda Spielman, has announced and defended an Ofsted policy of questioning girls who choose to wear the hijab at school.

·         That Ofsted has previous history of Islamophobic pronouncements, including its involvement in the long-discredited Trojan Horse ‘scandal’.

We believe:

·         That Islamophobia has no place in our society or our schools

·         That Ofsted’s policy is racist, intrusive, sexist and unacceptable

We resolve:

·         To sign and publicise the open letter to Ofsted signed by over 1,000 academics protesting this policy (attached)

·         To urge schools to refuse to cooperate with any Ofsted inspector seeking to put this policy into effect

·         To continue to support the work of Stand Up To Racism through re-affiliation and supporting activities in Derby, and support the campaign nationally where possible; and support members who want to attend the celebration of our multicultural society in the Stand Up To Racism demonstration at 2018’s UN Anti-Racism Day on Saturday 17^th March

Motion 4: Support for Trades Unionists in Zimbabwe

We note:

·         The political situation in Zimbabwe is dangerous for working people at the moment

·         That our comrades in the Zimbabwean trades union movement have asked for solidarity from around the world to ensure that the rights of working people are protected at this time

·         That the TUC has launched a call for £5,000 to be raised to support our comrades in Zimbabwe.

We believe that:

·         International solidarity is a proud part of our tradition as a union

We resolve to:

·         Donate £50 towards the TUC Aid fund for our Zimbabwean comrades.