LANAC meeting 30 09 2012
http://nutlan.org.uk/
LANAC is the Local
Associations for National Action Campaign. I attended this meeting on
behalf of WSTA. 22 Associations were represented. Many were from
urban areas but I did speak to a delegate from Leicestershire who
clearly had many of the same issues as arise in spread-out areas like
West Sussex.
There was a good
businesslike discussion about the successes of the Action Short Of
Strike Action. These successes are in advance of the actual date
of the action and the result of discussions with sensible heads...and
not-so-sensible ones.
Action has been taken
in schools without a previous record of union activity and with
bullying management styles in place. LANAC will share good practice
and the union's action will educate heads into the notion that
bullying is not necessary for school success.
Examples of the little
victories will be posted onto the LANAC website – I was nominated
to work on the website - and publicised on a facebook page and on
twitter.
If there are cases of
individual victimisation, it was thought that the ballot would enable
schools to move straight to strike action, giving seven days' notice,
without another ballot. It is likely that such action could be
sustained so members are not out of pocket.
For the future, it is
possible that such action could become generalised.
Meanwhile members of
the NASUWT and the NUT are experiencing working together and
improving the workload for teachers. This co-operation is despite the
fact that some NASUWT members believe that they are forbidden to
attend joint meetings with the NUT. An increasing number are turning
a blind eye to this instruction.
The Action Short Of
Strike Action is against the government and it was thought likely
that it would be the prelude to national strike action.
LANAC will be seeking
the widest possible support for the TUC demonstration on 20th
October. It is likely that co-ordinated strike action involving
public sector workers will be necessary to turn the tide against
austerity.
There will be a LANAC
conference on 8th December to review the state of the
action.
Meanwhile here is a
model resolution suggested by the vice-chair of the meeting, Sally
Kincaid
Model resolution/petition on
pensions/pay/workload
We welcome the overwhelming vote in
the NUT ballot for action on workload and pay, to add to the existing
NUT ballot for action in defence of our pensions, which mirrors the
NASUWT votes over the same issues. Together these votes give both
unions a clear mandate to defend teachers and education from the
assault on all fronts we face from the Coalition government.
We welcome the joint statement by the
NUT and NASUWT calling for non-strike action in all schools over
workload as part of this battle, but we are worried that the
statement contained no clear indication of a plan to move to national
strike action.
We pledge ourselves to seek to
coordinate the non strike sanctions and any local strikes with the
widest layer of schools possible.
But we believe however that if we want
to beat the government national strike action is by far our strongest
weapon and is absolutely necessary.
We believe that there should be a move
to a programme of such action as soon as possible, and certainly this
term. We believe each union should do this alongside each other
and/or other unions facing similar battles.
We therefore call on both the
NUT and NASUWT executives to pursue discussions with all these unions
and agree dates for such national strike action starting this term at
their next meetings in early October
NUT:
Fax motions or completed petitions to 020 7387 8458 or email a
scanned copy (for petitions) or motion with numbers attending the
meeting to c.blower@nut.org.uk
NASUWT:
Fax motions or completed petitions to 0121 457 6208 or email a
scanned copy (for petitions) or motion with numbers attending the
meeting to chris.keates@mail.nasuwt.org.uk
