Teachers' unions threaten joint strike action in autumn
NUT and NASUWT announce 'unprecedented' joint protest over government's education policies
Teachers' unions have threatened strikes in the autumn against 'attacks' on jobs, pensions, workload and pay. Photograph: Owen Humphreys/PA
Schools in England and Wales face the threat of strike action in the autumn after the two largest teaching unions – representing 600,000 teachers – announced an "unprecedented" joint protest over the government's education policies.
The NUT and NASUWT, who between them represent nine out of 10 teachers in England and Wales, have called on the education secretary, Michael Gove, to hold joint talks with their general secretaries or face walkouts by more than 600,000 education professionals after the summer.
Alluding to historic tensions between the unions, the NUT's general secretary, Christine Blower, said the government had succeeded in bringing together the UK's two largest teaching organisations in a "historic" agreement. "Michael Gove has managed to get us to a point where we are making a joint declaration," she said.
She added: "We would say this is quite unprecedented and historic. This is the first time that we have actually put anything out which categorically bears the emblem 'joint declaration of intent'. This is qualitatively different from what these unions have done before."
However, the NASUWT's general secretary, Chris Keates, said a merger between the unions was not imminent. "At the moment the focus has to be on the savage attacks by the government. Our priority at this time is protecting teachers in the profession."
In a joint statement, the unions criticised "sustained attacks on working conditions, pensions, pay, conditions of service and the threat to jobs".
Both unions took part in the 30 November public sector strikes over pensions reforms.
The unions said if the government failed to reach "sensible agreements which protect teachers and defend education" then they would move to jointly co-ordinated strikes in the autumn. The campaign would include joint work on political lobbying, public campaigns and research.
Both general secretaries accused the government of undermining teachers through pension reforms, a two-year pay freeze and its flagship free schools policy.
"In the commercial world if you are the chief executive of a company you don't improve things by constantly talking down the people you employ," said Blower, whose union will seek a fresh ballot to widen the terms of its industrial mandate.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2012/may/28/teachers-unions-threaten-strike-action
Summary:
This article fits well into the course we are following at the moment. It is about teachers who strike against government policies. It is specifically about the pensions, jobs , workload and pay that concern teachers. The NUT and NASUWT represent a great deal of the teachers all throughout England. The reason they joined together to strike against the government attacks on the different aspects of being a teacher is: the government threatens to consider sustained attacks on working conditions, pensions, pay, conditions of service. All these reforms make it less attractive to become a teacher and demotivates the people who are already a teacher. (116)
Review:
The fact that the government wants to apply these reforms is shocking to me. In my opinion Education is one of the most important aspects of society. It raises the quality of the economy by educating kids to become successful. If you want to attack this job you are doing something wrong. Of course I understand that reforms are needed in time of crisis, but to endanger all these teachers is a bridge to far. It is important to stimulate the quality of education and not endanger or decrease the quality of it. I think it is very good that teachers have gathered all around England to step up against these government reforms. (114)
The NUT and NASUWT, who between them represent nine out of 10 teachers in England and Wales, have called on the education secretary, Michael Gove, to hold joint talks with their general secretaries or face walkouts by more than 600,000 education professionals after the summer.
Alluding to historic tensions between the unions, the NUT's general secretary, Christine Blower, said the government had succeeded in bringing together the UK's two largest teaching organisations in a "historic" agreement. "Michael Gove has managed to get us to a point where we are making a joint declaration," she said.
She added: "We would say this is quite unprecedented and historic. This is the first time that we have actually put anything out which categorically bears the emblem 'joint declaration of intent'. This is qualitatively different from what these unions have done before."
However, the NASUWT's general secretary, Chris Keates, said a merger between the unions was not imminent. "At the moment the focus has to be on the savage attacks by the government. Our priority at this time is protecting teachers in the profession."
In a joint statement, the unions criticised "sustained attacks on working conditions, pensions, pay, conditions of service and the threat to jobs".
Both unions took part in the 30 November public sector strikes over pensions reforms.
The unions said if the government failed to reach "sensible agreements which protect teachers and defend education" then they would move to jointly co-ordinated strikes in the autumn. The campaign would include joint work on political lobbying, public campaigns and research.
Both general secretaries accused the government of undermining teachers through pension reforms, a two-year pay freeze and its flagship free schools policy.
"In the commercial world if you are the chief executive of a company you don't improve things by constantly talking down the people you employ," said Blower, whose union will seek a fresh ballot to widen the terms of its industrial mandate.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2012/may/28/teachers-unions-threaten-strike-action
Summary:
This article fits well into the course we are following at the moment. It is about teachers who strike against government policies. It is specifically about the pensions, jobs , workload and pay that concern teachers. The NUT and NASUWT represent a great deal of the teachers all throughout England. The reason they joined together to strike against the government attacks on the different aspects of being a teacher is: the government threatens to consider sustained attacks on working conditions, pensions, pay, conditions of service. All these reforms make it less attractive to become a teacher and demotivates the people who are already a teacher. (116)
Review:
The fact that the government wants to apply these reforms is shocking to me. In my opinion Education is one of the most important aspects of society. It raises the quality of the economy by educating kids to become successful. If you want to attack this job you are doing something wrong. Of course I understand that reforms are needed in time of crisis, but to endanger all these teachers is a bridge to far. It is important to stimulate the quality of education and not endanger or decrease the quality of it. I think it is very good that teachers have gathered all around England to step up against these government reforms. (114)
Yeah! Go teachers! I hope their protest will lead to something because to my opinion being a teacher is one of the most important jobs in the world. Would there be any doctors if there weren't any teachers around? Teachers are a sort of second parents who can form you as a human being. They should have perfect working conditions, high pensions and their pay should be above modal.
BeantwoordenVerwijderenUnfortunately we have this huge leach that is sucking out money from every vane it can find. The economical crisis being the leach and teachers being one of the vanes.