Motions for Annual Conference 2019

 

1) CLIMATE CHANGE

Conference recognises that the latest UN climate report shows that:

•            without more rapid action, there will be at least a 3 degrees temperature rise by 2100.

•            1 degree rise above pre-industrial levels has already led to increasing fires, hurricanes, floods and droughts.

•            the transition to a zero carbon society to keep below a 1.5 degree increase is the most urgent problem facing humanity and is technically feasible.

•            the obstacles are entirely political.

Conference believes that:

•            the consequences of a failure to act - or an unjust transition, whereby those with wealth and power dump the costs downwards - will be severe for our members, our communities, the children we teach and - in the worst case - could threaten our survival.

•            we therefore have to help lead a Just Transition; shifting energy production, transport, housing and agriculture onto a sustainable basis within the lifetimes of the children currently in our schools; with workers and communities most directly affected not dumped into destitution like the miners, but re-skilled to carry the transition out.

•            this needs immediate government investment for a qualitative shift within 12 years.

•            including a significant shift in the focus and aims of Education.

•            the current government’s market solutions are failing; and leading to the UK missing its targets.

•            the Labour Green Transformation plan grasps the scale and speed of the transition required

•            but this must be integrated into every level of the National Education Service.

Resolves to approach NUS, UCU, other education unions and interested parties to

•            Make a joint approach to the government to press them on plans to carry out their obligation under the Paris Agreement to educate the public about the scale of climate change and the measures needed to deal with it - including through schools curricula - and a recognition that for every school to be zero carbon by 2030, significant investment will be required.

•            Make Just Transition a key narrative in our discussions about the NES.

•            Hold an Education for a Just Transition conference in the Autumn.

 

2) FAIR PAY FOR TEACHERS

Conference notes that:

i)          successive years of below-inflation pay deals has seen teachers' pay fall in real terms      since 2010;

ii)         the government has missed their teacher recruitment target for six successive years;

iii)         teachers continue to leave the profession in record numbers;

iv)        the teacher vacancy rate continues to increase;

iv)        the relative decline in teachers’ pay is a major factor in the recruitment and retention         problems facing schools;

Conference is appalled that Damian Hinds refused to implement the STRB recommendations for the 2018 pay increase, becoming the first Secretary of State to do so.

Conference welcomes:

i)          the work done by the NEU, in conjunction with NAHT and ASCL to campaign against       this injustice, as part of the campaign on funding;

ii)         the decision to conduct an indicative ballot of members.

Conference believes that the Union must continue to campaign for:

a.    A commitment from government to restore the real value of all teachers’ salaries to what it was in 2010;

b.    The restoration of mandatory pay scales and responsibility payments for all teachers whose employment is publicly funded, including those in academies, free schools and sixth form colleges;

c.    The restoration of national pay bargaining;

d.    An end to the current system of so-called “performance related pay” that has been so arbitrary and so destructive of teacher morale.

Conference therefore instructs the Executive to:

i)          work with other teacher unions with a view submitting a joint pay claim for all school staff;

ii)         ensure that a key demand in such a pay claim is that it is fully funded by the          government;

iii)         develop campaign materials, that link our pay claim to the need for increased school        funding;

iv)        work with local associations and regional offices to monitor LA and MAT pay policies to    ensure that joint union guidance on the 2018 increase is being implemented and       support action where this is not happening;

v)         support the claim by unions representing school support staff and include the need for      school support staff to have a pay increase in our publicity and materials.

 

3) PALESTINE

Conference notes

·         The ongoing illegal occupation of the West Bank and siege of Gaza which are subjecting the Palestinian people to human rights violations, such as the maltreatment of Palestinian children in the Israeli military court system, injury and death

·         The plight of millions of Palestinian refugees, many of whom are stateless, who are refused a right of return to their homeland

·         The status of Palestinian citizens of Israel who are subject to different treatment by over 20 laws including the recent Nation State Law which excludes them from self-determination and relegates Arabic to a lower status in law

Conference congratulates all those members who have been active over many years in challenging the unjust treatment of the Palestinian people and in demanding and a just and peaceful resolution.

We affirm our ongoing commitment to solidarity with the Palestinian people and pledge to continue our work to build understanding of the situation they face.

Conference instructs the Executive to

·         Develop resources and CPD through our International section and ISO fora to ensure our members are fully informed and supported in their work

·         Continue facilitating delegations to visit Israel and Palestine as long as there is interest from members in taking part

·         Make challenging the detention, arrest and conviction of Palestinian children in Israeli military courts a key campaigning priority in the coming year.

·         Affiliate to the Palestine Solidarity Campaign and encourage affiliation by districts/branches and individual members of the Union.

 

 

4. Motions submitted by members

A)   Support the Rohingya struggle for human rights

The struggles against racism and for human rights around the world are indivisible.

Islington NEU recognises the continuing plight of the Rohingya communities in Myanmar (Burma) who have been suffering ethnic cleansing and violation of rights at the hands of the Myanmar military for several years, especially in the western Rakhine state.
Islington NEU resolves to support the work of the British Rohingya Community here who are:

•bringing attention to the plight of the Rohingya,
• campaigning for a peaceful resolution of the conflict in Myanmar that upholds the rights of the Rohingya people and allows them to live without fear, and obtain basic necessities such  as food, shelter and education
• supports Rohingya refugees who have resettled in Britain.

Islington NEU agrees to give a donation of £200 towards the campaigning work of the British Rohingya Community

B) Just transition

Islington NEU (NUT Section) notes:

·  The NUT section of the NEU was one of the first unions to support the Greener Jobs Alliance statement on Just Transition.

·  The latest Labour statements on Green transformation - to go from 9% to 60% renewable energy in 12 years - and how they will do it give us a challenge to fit our thinking about the National Education Service to these ambitious and essential plans.

We believe

·  The key point in the Green Transformation document is that this transition is not simply the property of the energy sector, but an overarching priority for every aspect of government policy, from the pattern of overseas aid to housing to transport.

·  The scale of it - a sevenfold increase in offshore wind - a doubling of onshore wind - installation of solar panels on 2.5 million homes - a tripling of the UKs PV capacity -insulating every home and public building by 2030 - is both colossal and the least we need to do. 

·  It promises the creation of almost half a million jobs and has massive implications for what the NES will have to be all about. Put simply, without the training for the new skills, these jobs will not be created and the plan will be under fulfilled.

·  The Labour Party will be taking NEU input on their education policy very seriously. We, as a union, therefore have to be as clear as the air we want to breathe that the heart of the NES must be a very thorough programme to give people the skills they will need to do these jobs and the understanding across society as a whole as to the urgency of climate change and why these changes are necessary so there is no possibility of this transition being sabotaged by denial, despair or ignorance when there are difficulties or obstacles.

·  Making the green transformation the heart of the NES gives it a coherent, transcendent and hegemonic mission, a clear story and purpose, that can mobilise a majority of people in active participation in changing their own lives.

We resolve

·  To send this resolution to our executive members and General Secretary to inform discussion.

·  To support the campaign for climate change demonstration on 1^st December

C) Islington Stand Up to Racism

Islington NEU (NUT Section) agrees to donate £200 to Islington Stand Up to Racism to support the mobilisation for the November 17^th Unity Demonstration.

D) Pedagogy conference

 Islington NEU (NUT section) notes:

 

1)    that the school’s minister Nick Gibb has publicly stated his support for particular teaching styles, largely based around direct instruction, use of text book only teaching and an adherence to what is termed as a “knowledge” approach to teaching and learning.

2)    That these teaching styles and the “knowledge agenda” are also being promoted by the Parents and Teachers for Excellence as well as leaders of the Academy and Free school movement.

3)    That there has been a large rise in the number of teacher organised conferences and CPD events, such as Northern Rocks, that have sought to explore and celebrate the huge variety of pedagogies that are at teachers disposal. 

 

We believe that:

a)    the National Education Union needs to be firmly placed at the centre of the debate around pedagogy as the voice of teachers.

b)    teachers need to be highly skilled and trained professionals with a wealth of pedagogical approached at their disposal

c)    the promotion of one type of teaching and learning by the government and those associated with it, is potentially very damaging to teacher autonomy and professionalism and ultimately therefore, to the children that we teach.

 

We therefore agree to:

i)      support a pedagogy conference together with other associations and branches in our union.

ii)     recommend to  Islington committee that they donate £100 towards the cost of such a conference.

 

 

2) Nominations for NEU National Executive.

Nomination for Equalities Seat  – LGBT+  Annette Price

Nomination for Sector Seat  – Post 16 Establishment  Jean Evanson

 

A) Pay

Islington NEU (NUT Section) are frankly appalled that Damian Hinds has ignored the STRBs recommendation that all teacher pay spines should be increased by 3.5%.

This means that a majority of teachers are receiving a real terms pay cut

The STRB has never been generous to teachers and they only made this recommendation because of their serious concerns about teacher recruitment and retention.
We are also appalled that Damian Hinds has not fully funded the pay rise - saying that the first 1% must come from already overstretched budgets.

We demand that Damian Hinds fully implements and fully funds the STRB recommendations as a first step towards putting right the school funding crisis and the teacher recruitment and retention crisis.
To achieve this aim we call on our union to ballot for industrial action this term and that a plan of action is drawn up consisting of a strategy designed to win not simply protest.

In the meantime we call on all Islington schools to implement the current rise for all of their teachers in line with Damian Hinds announcement and ITA agrees to seek support from the  national union (if necessary) for action to support members in any school that does not.
We reject any arguments that the school cannot implement the rise for financial reasons.

We agree to send a copy of  this motion to The NEU Executive and Local MP’’s asking them to raise the issue in Parliament.
 
We also call on all school NEU groups to meet to discuss this motion and forward copies (if agreed) to their Headteacher, Governors and to notify the local association that they have done so.

B) Transition to Islington NEU

 

Islington NEU (NUT Section) agrees to adopt the following transitional programme:

1) That the first AGM of the local district will be held on Tuesday 4^th December 2018 with the elected officers taking up their role on 1^st January 2019 with a term of office until 31^st August 2020.

2) That the officer positions will consist of President, Vice President, Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Treasurer, Health & Safety Officer, Equalities Officer – Black Members, Equalities Officer – LGBT+ Members, Equalities Officer – Disabled Members, Young Teachers Officer, International Solidarity Officer, Post 16 Section Officer, Independent Sector Officer, Support Staff Officer, Press & Publicity Officer and 6 Committee members

 

3) That the timetable for elections will be as follows:

24^th September - calls for nominations

15^th October  - Close of nominations

16^th October - Committee meeting to make arrangements for ballot if it is necessary

18^th October – Withdrawal of nominees

30^th October to 23^rd November – ballot period

 

4) Nominations for all officers and committee members shall be made in writing or by email signed or confirmed by the proposer and seconder and endorsed by the nominee and posted to the NEU (NUT Section) office or by email to neu@islingtonteachers.org.uk

5) That in the event of a ballot being required the returning officer and two scrutineers will be agreed at the committee meeting on 16^th October. This committee meeting will be open to Islington ATL section members.

6) This motion will be forwarded to NEU (NUT Section) London Regional Office along with a copy of the letter seeking nominations for circulation to Islington NEU (ATL Section) members.

 

 C) Support national unity demonstration against fascism & racism: Sat 17 November 

 

Islington NEU  notes: 

 

1) The disturbing rise of racist and fascist activity across Europe and the confidence given to the far right globally by the Trump presidency.

2) The coalescing of racist and fascist groupings from the Democratic Football Lads Alliance through to UKIP and the fascists around the ‘Free Tommy Robinson campaign’.

3) The violent 15000 strong far right ‘free speech’ rally on 9 June in central London, the assault on trade unionists following the Stand Up To Racism/Unite Against Fascism counter demo against Robinson’s supporters on 14 July and the fascist attack on the TUC’s official bookshop Bookmarks.

4) The call by Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell for a mass movement against the racist and fascist right in the spirit of the Anti-Nazi League.

5) That Boris Johnson’s Islamophobic comments have also added to the confidence of far right.

6) The call by Stand Up To Racism, Unite Against Fascism and Love Music Hate Racism for a national unity demo against the fascist and racist right on Saturday 17 November.

We believe:

1) That internationally we face the biggest threat from the far right since the 1930s.

2) That we need a mass movement in Britain to halt the growth of the racist and fascist right.

We resolve: 

1) To support the Stand Up To Racism international conference on Saturday 20 October – building opposition to fascism and racism.

2) To support and publicise the national unity demo in London on 17 November which is supported by Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott, Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell and a number of key figures from Labour, the trade unions and faith communities.

3) To re-affiliate to Stand Up To Racism and Unite Against Fascism.

4) To donate £200 to Stand Up to Racism as a contribution to organising the Unity demonstration and £100 to Bookmarks as a contribution towards the cost of improving security at the bookshop.

5) To support and publicise the counter demonstration to the Democratic Football Lads alliance on Saturday October 13^th.

D) Request for funds: Defend the Whittington Hospital Coalition

 

Recently a DWHC campaign succeeded in getting the Whittington Hospital to drop a contact with Ryhurst to manage the Hospital's estate strategy.  Ryhurst (a subsidiary of Rydon, the company responsible for cladding the Grenfell Tower) are now threatening to sue the Whittington for cancelling the contract.  DWHC will be working to publicise this and the failings of the hospital board for getting in to this situation.  The DWHC has fought to defend services and staff conditions at the Whittington and campaigned against sell offs of assets and privatisation of aspects of the hospital and its services. The fight continues to defend this corner of the NHS and we need funds.  

 

Islington NEU (NUT Section) therefore agrees to make  a donation of £250 to help with the campaign to defend a major healthcare provider in Islington and surrounding boroughs.  

 

 

Nominations for NEU National Executive.

 

Jess Edwards , James Kerr, Alex Kenny

 

Nomination for Equalities Seat  – Black Members

Daniel Kebede. 

A)  Pay

Islington NEU (NUT section) notes:

1.      The motion on Greater London Pay passed at the National Conference which instructs the executive of the NUT section of the NEU to “Carry out research on costs In London and Fringe areas in order to submit a claim on Inner London, Outer London and Fringe allowances which reflects living costs as part of our national pay claim, in addition to the NEU call for a 5% rise for all teachers.”

2.      The motion also calls on the NEU to seek to work with other unions in raising this demand and demands on the government to control housing costs.

3.      That the formula for London weighting should be set, as it was before 1984, by a Pay Advisory board for London, which researches the differential between living costs in London and elsewhere and sets London weighting on that basis.

4.      That in the period 2010-2017 teachers pay rose by 6.1% whilst London house prices rose on average by 71%.

5.      That the differential between house prices in London and elsewhere in England has risen from around 30% in the 1970s to over 140% today (around 130% for rents).

This association believes:

1.      That one of the guiding principles of our London weighting claim should be that we need a demand for a minimum flat rate that would be applicable to all workers in London, and that we should seek to work with other unions on that basis.

2.      That the recommendation of Donald Hirsch for Trust for London for a minimum of “over £6000” for all London workers in 2016 should be updated and applied.

3.      That negotiation’s on London weighting should include demands to bring down house prices through rent controls and an extension of council house building.

4.      That the NEU should work towards a single London rate and an end to the wide divide between Inner London and Outer London pay that no longer reflects the realities of the London market.

5.      That if the national pay claim is settled without an acceptable increase in London weighting we should be prepared to move as quickly as possible towards London-wide industrial action on the lines of action taken previously in 2002.

This Association resolves:

1.      To send this motion to our exec members and the General Secretary.

2.      To support housing campaigns in the local area and support demands for local housing plans and a London Plan which supports genuinely affordable housing.

3.      To support any school where pressures on living costs have led staff to ballot for action on increasing pay at school level.

B)  30 Years since Section 28

Islington NEU (NUT Section) notes:

1. that 2018 is the anniversary of the passing of Section 28 which set out to ban ' the promotion of homosexuality in schools'.
2. that since its abolition there has been an improvement in the way that LGBT+ issues are dealt with in many schools, yet there are still lots of schools that do not have policies on LGBT+ issues or feature appropriate materials/ resources in their curriculum
3. the growing ability of teachers in our union to give a lead in creating and sharing an array of initiatives to make our schools fit for the 21st century on LGBT+ issues.

This association/ division believes:
1. that it is time to make all our schools LGBT+ friendly and that the NEU should be at the forefront of initiatives that challenge homophobia, biphobia and transphobia.
2. That all teachers can challenge homophobia, biphobia and transphobia.

This association resolves to:

1. support the '30 Years since Section 28 - LGBT+ Education in the 21st Century' event taking place at Hamilton House on Saturday 3rd November 2018.
2. Fund members (£10) who wish to attend the event.

 

C) Impact of Heathrow expansion on children's health and learning

 

Islington NEU (NUT Section) notes that:

 

·         high levels of noise affects children's learning and health

·         aircraft noise affects children’s performance in school and children attending noise exposed schools usually live in noise exposed homes.  

·         aircraft noise exposure outside school hours, especially in the early morning or late at night, will also impact on children’s learning and school performance. 

·         Tasks which involve central processing and language comprehension, such as reading, attention and problem solving and memory, are most affected by exposure to aircraft noise. 

·         Language based tasks are more affected by noise exposure than non-language-based tasks and studies of English tests shows that aircraft noise exposure affects performance.

·         Noise level is also significantly related to mathematical performance. As noise increases performance drops.

·         High levels of aircraft noise will impact on everyday activities such as homework, schoolwork and playing.

·         High noise exposed children have been found to have higher rates of hyperactivity than those exposed to low noise.

·         A South African study found that 68.7% of people residing near the airport presented with hearing loss, compared to 6.5% of those living further away. 

·         Investigation of the influence of high-frequency aircraft noise on the function of the auditory system in school age children confirmed damage to the peripheral cochlear mechanism in the group living close to the airport.

·         Long term aircraft noise exposure has been significantly associated with chronic noise stress, which is significantly associated with hypertension.

·         Since aircraft noise can cause stress in people we would expect to find higher usages of medicines and drugs to alleviate stress and help sleep in aircraft noise exposed neighbourhoods. This has been found to be the case for physician visits for hypertension, psychological and psychosomatic problems and cardiovascular disease and for the prescriptions of medicine drugs.

·         Night-time exposure to aircraft noise is also significantly associated with impairment of recognition memory.

·         An additional 24 schools will suffer from aircraft noise above the maximum levels recommended by the World Health Organisation if a third runway is built. 

·         The national average school size is 220 pupils per primary school and 950 pupils per secondary school, so this would result in somewhere between 5,280 to 22,800 extra children at risk of decreased educational attainment. 

·         Current Government policy expects airport operators to other acoustic insulation to noise sensitive buildings, such as schools and hospitals, exposed to levels of noise of 63 dBA Leq or more, but this is significantly above the onset threshold for impairing memory and learning in children indicated by the RANCH study of 50 dBA Leq. 

·         In 2015 Heathrow Airport finished providing insulation for 42 community buildings (including schools and nursing homes) that were within the 63 dBA Leq noise contour in 2002, at a cost of £4.8 million. Over 460 schools are exposed to aircraft noise from Heathrow Airport above 54 dBA Leq and the vast majority have not received any form of insulation from the airport. 

·         Heathrow expansion would lead to more schools being over own than would be affected without expansion, with an additional 24 schools being newly overflown by a significant number of planes, with a maximum noise level above 70 dBA. 

For all these reasons, and because expansion of airports will make it impossible to sustain essential targets to reduce climate change, we call on 

·  the National Union to oppose Heathrow expansion and issue a statement on the lines of the points above

·  our local MPs to do likewise.

Copies of this resolution will be sent to our London Executive members, our local MPs and letters sent to the local papers.

 

Unity against the far right

Islington NEU endorses the recent statement (below) on the need for unity against the far right, signed, among others, by our General Secretary, Kevin Courtney.

We reaffirm our support for the 13 July protest against the visit of the racist, misogynistic, homophobic US President Donald Trump and agree to support the counter demonstration called by Stand Up to Racism to the far right demonstration in support of the currently imprisoned fascist Tommy Robinson the next day, on Saturday 14 July.

Statement: We must unite to halt the rise of the far-right

The 15,000 strong violent far right protest to ‘free Tommy Robinson’ on Saturday 9 June has raised major questions for all those who value our diversity.

The racist right—from hardcore Nazis, through the FLA/DFLA to ‘For Britain’ and UKIP—are using Robinson to re-organise. Nazi salutes and Islamophobia were at the centre of the mobilisation.

 This is the first serious attempt since the collapse of the English Defence League (EDL) to develop a racist street movement and give it a political form. It is supported internationally by notorious figures including Geert Wilders from the Dutch Islamophobic right and Steve Bannon, former adviser to Donald Trump.

 It is absolutely vital that all who oppose this come together in a united mass movement powerful enough to drive these new developments on the far-right back.

 Donald Trump has played a major role in galvanising the racist right. When he arrives on 12-14 July we will take to the streets to protest against his racism. And when Robinson’s supporters take to the streets again on 14 July we will protest against them too.

 Wherever the far right’s support grows so does racism and violence. Let's come together to defend our multicultural society from those who spread hatred and division.

 

 

Nominations for NEU National Treasurer.

Alex Kenny 

Nominations for national NEU Membership and Equalities officer.

Louise Regan

 

Motions

 

A)     Mobilisation Against the Democratic Football Lads Alliance

 

Islington NEU (NUT Section) fully supports the mobilisation called by Stand up to Racism against the DFLA in London on Sunday 6th May and the one planned for Manchester on Saturday 19th May. We agree to donate £100 to STUR to help pay for the publicity and organisation of these mobilisations.

Further, we welcome the National Union’s statement in support of the victims of the racist Windrush scandal and demand that all those involved are suitably compensated. We welcome the resignation of Amber Rudd , but recognise that she was implementing the ‘hostile environment’ for immigrants establish by her predecessor Theresa May.

We believe that within this context of institutionalised racism the invitation to Donald Trump in July is a further provocation and we agree to support the mobilisations against his visit organised by ‘Together Against Trump’.

           B) Dates for Conference 2019

Islington NEU (NUT Section)  is dismayed that conference 2019 has been booked for Monday to Thursday 15th to 19th April. Whilst this falls in the Easter holiday for Islington schools we believe that it is term time for activists from a significant number of Divisions. These dates will mean many delegates and key activists would be unable to attend next year. Choosing term-time working days, especially those so close to SATs and exams, would hit at the heart of the lay-led nature and ethos of our union. It will impact particularly severely on members with families and supply teachers. Women delegates are likely to be disadvantaged disproportionately.

The decision has been made with no consultation directly with Divisions. It appears that communication was so poor about the implications of this, that many NEC members were also unaware. We have heard that, when planning this, a false assumption may have been made that all schools would be on holiday.

We understand that changing the dates now will be difficult and will come with some costs. However we believe that changes must be made to allow all possible activists to attend.

We request that the Joint Executive Council:

1. Cancels arrangements made for 15th to 19th April.

2. Consults Divisions and Associations on suitable alternative dates reminding them of the various national term time dates and urging them to avoid suggesting dates that may be problematic to others.

3. Publishes the results of this consultation.

4. Chooses and books dates which fit with the consultation outcome

      C) Reproductive Rights

 ITA sends a message of solidarity to the Together for Yes campaign in the Republic of Ireland, the Northern Irish Alliance for Choice and the London Irish Abortion Rights Campaign in recognition of their campaigning for women's reproductive rights.

 

A) UCU Strike Action

Islington NEU (NUT Section) congratulates UCU members on their successful strike ballot in defence of university pensions and further education pay.

We recognise that the strike action is crucial in the defence of publicly provided higher and further education and the conditions of the university and college workers working within it.

• We agree to send messages of support to the strikers and donate £200 to the UCU strike hardship fund
• ITA urges all NEU Reps to organise collections in their school
• ITA urges the national union to make a substantial donation to the UCU to enable them to make adequate strike action pay to their members  

A     

B    B)  Palestine

The crisis in the Palestinian Health system is acute with the blockade of Gaza and severe restrictions in travel to the East Jerusalem Hospital.

This association agrees to sponsor Jane Hartley and donate £200 to Medical Aid for Palestine.

We also agree to circulate the Just Giving page to members and ask the London Region to circulate to branches

 

B    C)  Planning for  a future that won't cost the Earth

Islington NEU (NUT section) recognises: 

·         the urgency of organising for a just transition to a zero carbon economy

·         that the labour movement will have to take a lead on this

welcomes:

·         the conference on Planning for a Future that won't cost the Earth called by the Campaign Against Climate Change at Hamilton House on March 10^th

·         and agrees to finance up to 5 delegate(s) (£10 each to register).

 

2)      Nominations for National Elections

General Secretary - Kevin Courtney 

Black Executive Constituency Member - Daniel Kebede 

3)      Prioritisation of 2018 Annual Conference Motions

It was proposed and agreed unanimously that we prioritised the 6 motions previously submitted by Islington.

4, 6, 19, 31, 47 and 64

 

4)      Election of Islington Delegates to Annual Conference 2018

Nominations have been received for  Tony Buttifint and Paddy de Cleir as delegates and Ken Muller as an observer.

Further nominations were sought from the meeting to fill the remaining vacancies – Harry Madgwick-Lawton and Joseph Vincent were agreed.

 

5)      Motions submitted by members. 

 

B)     NHS  

 

Islington NEU notes the serious situation facing the NHS with Ambulances queuing for hours to hand over seriously ill patients, patients being left in corridors waiting for beds, and operations being postponed.

 We believe that these problems are being caused by an under funding ofm the service with cuts, bed closures, pay restraints and privatisation.

 We support the demonstration called by Health Campaigns Together & The People’s Assembly on Saturday 3^rd February in central London and agree to support and publicise the demonstration.

 

          C)     Banning of the hijab

Islington Teachers Association notes:

1.      The announcement by the Chief Inspector of Ofsted, Amanda Spielman, (19 November, 2017) that Ofsted inspectors will question girls wearing the hijab in primary schools.

2.      The campaign by the Sunday Times to ban the wearing of the hijab in primary schools.

3.      The call by the head of governors at St Stephen’s school in the London Borough of Newham, published in the Sunday Times, that the government should override school autonomy in deciding uniform policy on the hijab.

4.      The majority of victims of anti-Muslim hate crime are women and girls, those wearing the hijab, niqab or robe being disproportionately targeted. The majority of perpetrators being white men.

 

We believe:

1.      The targeting of dress choices by Muslim women and parents is part of a wider demonisation of Muslim communities and is a form of sexist and racial profiling.

2.      Calls to ban girls from wearing the hijab or to question Muslim school girls on their dress can only further fuel Islamophobic abuse and hate crime against Muslim women and girls and fuel bullying, intolerance and division in our schools.

3.      Reducing the hijab to a symbol of sexualisation, fans racist stereotypes. It ignores other interpretations the hijab holds for individuals such as a display of culture, a sign of faith, or a symbol of empowerment and resistance.

4.      There is a real issue of sexualisation and sexual harassment of girls in schools; however, this is unrelated to the hijab as a chosen form of dress.

5.      The issue of fasting should be a matter of sensitive discussion between schools, parents and a child and should not be subject to mandatory rulings.

 

We  resolve to:

1.      Write to all governing bodies of primary schools in the division requesting:

i.       They assure all parents that there will be no change in school uniform policy relating to the headscarf.

ii.     They write to Ofsted objecting to any proposals involving discriminatory targeting of Muslim girls on the basis of their dress, including bans or questioning of Muslim girls by inspectors.

2.      Publicise as far as possible opposition in the local press and support campaigns in opposition to any proposals to ban the hijab as an option or introduce government enforcement of particular uniform policies on schools.

3.      To seek support from Islington Council for resisting any proposals to ban the wearing of the hijab in schools.

 

Motion - Stand up to Racism

Islington Teachers Association agrees:

1. To continue to affiliate to Stand Up To Racism (SUTR), to publicise its national and local initiatives to our members and to delegate at least one member to attend Islington SUTR planning meetings. (http://www.standuptoracism.org.uk/join-donate/)
2. To support and promote as far as possible the joint SUTR/Care4Calais Winter Appeal and convoy to Calais on Saturday 9 December for refugees still living in Calais and its surrounding area, or in Paris and Brussels.
3. To donate £50 to the Appeal. (Cheques payable to Care4Calais. Individual donation can be made online at Care4Calais.org.)
4. To urge members to help on the street stalls planned at the Angel and the Nag’s Head in Holloway Road from 2pm on Saturday 25 November to collect for the appeal and advertise the convoy.
5. To support and send up to six delegates to the SUTR Trade Union Conference on 10 February.
6. To support and encourage members to attend the March Against Racism in Central London on UN Anti-Racism Day.
7. To purchase 100 Teachers Stand Up to Racism badges.

 Motions for National Conference

 

Motions were proposed, discussed and agreed unanimously on the following topics.

 

1.     Young Teacher: Fighting for a future in our profession   

2.     The Housing Crisis  

3.     Climate change and the curriculum  

4.     Fair Pay for Teachers 

5.     Secondary assessment/Curriculum  

6.     Racism and Migration  

Sexism, Harassment and Stereotyping in Schools

This association notes :

i)                    Recent surveys have highlighted unacceptable levels of sexism and sexual harassment of young girls in schools, much of which is unreported

ii)                   The widespread view that gender stereotyping is getting worse and that there are increased pressures on young people to conform to so called gender norms

iii)                 More than two women are killed in this country every week as a result of “domestic violence” and that this affects many of the children we teach

iv)                 Girls are still underrepresented in STEM subjects and courses

v)                  The success of NUT projects Stereotypes Stop You Doing Stuff and Breaking the Mould

vi)                 Support members and schools to develop resources that will positively affect emotional literacy among male students.

We agree to support a conference proposed  by other NEU Associations on this subject and agree to donate £250 towards the organisational costs.

5)      Nominations for National Vice President. Publicity had been received from two candidates, Kauser Jan and John Wiseman.

 Kauser Jan nominated  No other nominations. Passed

 

6)      Motions

C) Climate Change

 In view of the increasing urgency of the need to take immediate measures to combat climate breakdown shown by the hurricanes in the Caribbean and the floods in Northern India Islington NEU (NUT section) agrees to

1) affiliate to the Campaign Against Climate Change (£25) and to make a donation of £100 to the campaign.

2) circulate our reps with a sustainable schools checklist to take up with management.

 

 B) Krakow/Auschwitz trip

With the continuing threat from racist and fascist groups across Europe, and the rise of racial violence and open antisemitism since Trump was elected in America, we recognise the crucial role that teachers can play in educating young people about the history of racism and fascism and in providing positive anti-racist and anti-fascist messages to their students.

Islington NEU (NUT) welcomes that fact that Unite Against Fascism and Love Music Hate Racism are once again organising an educational trip to memorial sites and museums in Krakow, Poland, and the Auschwitz death camp from 16-20 November. In addition to the site visits there will be specialist talks/presentations and a guided walk.

This branch resolves to sponsor at least 2 local members to go on this trip by paying for their costs for hotel/breakfast/trips/lectures. (£225 single room/£140 shared)

Those sponsored would be expected to pay for their own flights and to commit themselves to reporting back from the visit and feeding their insights and knowledge gained into their ongoing education work and into the anti-racist work of the Association.

Priority would be given to young members of the association, and to BAME members.

We agree to support and send delegates to the Stand Up To Racism conference on Saturday 21^st October at Friends Meeting House in Central London.

We also agree to support the ‘Where next for the fight against racism?’ Public Meeting at 7pm on Tuesday  10^th October at Islington town Hall, organised by Islington SUTR.

 

A)   D) Pay

Islington Teachers Association notes:

1. The 14% real cut in teachers’ and other public-sector workers’ pay since 2010 because of the Coalition and Tory government public sector worker pay cap.
2. The recent Equality Trust analysis which found that FTSE 100 chief executives are now paid 165 times more than a nurse, 140 times more than a teacher, 132 times more than a police officer and 312 times more than a care worker.
3. Opinion research which finds that a majority of the UK public believe that the pay cap should be scrapped.

We welcome:

1. Demands by many trade union leaders at this month’s TUC congress that the pay cap should end and that all public-sector workers should get across the board pay rises substantially above the rate of inflation.
2. Calls at the Congress for public sector trade unions to co-ordinate strike action if necessary to achieve this objective and announcements by the PCS, UCU and POA that they intend to ballot their members on taking such action.
3. Support from Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell for public-sector workers taking action against the pay cap.
4. Joint demonstrations that have been called by a number of public-sector unions, including the NUT, and especially the Britain deserves a pay rise – end the pay cap now demonstration and rally in London on 17 October.
5. The continuation of the successful NUT/NEU schools funding campaign which is complementary to our demand for a pay-rise which goes some way, at least, to restore the value of teachers’ pay to what it was in 2010 and attract sufficient new recruits to the profession.

We agree:

1. To mobilise as many Islington teachers (and parents) as possible to attend the demonstration on 17 October.
2. To co-ordinate our efforts with other public-sector trade unions in Islington, as well as well as with parent groups such as Islington Fair Funding for Schools.
3. To call on the national union to join other public-sector unions in balloting members this term for national strike action against the public sector pay cap, recognising that the widely-acknowledged legitimacy of and support for our demand for a substantial pay-rise means that a ballot outcome which complies with legal requirements is achievable.

Emergency Motion – Young Teachers

This division / association notes:

That teachers under 35 make up 47% of the in service membership of this branch, reflecting the relatively youthful nature of the teaching profession in this area.

45% of respondents to a recent NUT survey of young teachers indicated they're considering quitting the profession in the next five years with unsustainable workload cited as a major factor affecting this. 

In London this is compounded by the high cost of living with 60% of respondents to the London Young Teachers Housing Campaign survey indicating they could not see themselves in London in the next five years, the majority citing the high cost of living as the primary factor driving them out.

These are issues faced by older members but they can be particularly acute for young teachers at the start of their careers and in a more precarious situation.

This branch believes:

(i)             That we must strive to increase the participation of young teachers at branch, regional and national level. This will improve the short term health of the union but is essential for the long term sustainability of a lay-led union.

(ii)            That a conscious effort must be made to facilitate young teachers being active and we will review how the branch operates accordingly.

This branch resolves:

To strive for the percentage of young teachers in the branch to be reflected in those holding positions as reps, officers and conference delegates, while balancing the need to increase representation of under-represented groups.

To disseminate the London Young Teachers Network Fair Workload Charter to reps and members and invite a member of the network to address a future branch meeting. 

To ensure there is an active Young Teacher Officer in post as soon as is practical, in line with the rules of the union. 

To ensure that the Young Teacher Officer has an input into the content of meetings, that issues pertinent to young teachers are routinely included on the agenda and that and that a conscious effort is made to mobilise young teachers for divisional meetings.

B)      Holloway Redevelopment

Islington NEU (NUT):

·  notes the government's plan to sell off the site of Holloway Prison for redevelopment.

·  recognises that London is an increasingly unaffordable city for teachers and other key workers

·  notes that redevelopments left to developers concentrate on high profitability gentrification with a few "affordable" homes tacked on as an afterthought; sometimes with "poor doors"

·  commends the campaign for a Community Plan and open day on 30 September (see attached) which some schools have already circulated to parents.

calls for

·  ALL the housing in the redevelopment to be built for rent, with rents set at a level the average worker can meet

·  For a variety of homes, public spaces and facilities; so the development contains a range of generations with the possibility of building a community

·  For all the buildings erected to be zero carbon and, preferably generating more energy than they use

·  For the local community, including schools, to be involved in the planning and development process

·  For the importance of the historical site in the fight for women's suffrage to be publically marked.

.

A      General Election Result and Further Cuts Campaign

Islington NUT believes the outcome of the general election shows there is huge backing for social justice and anti-austerity policies in this country. The proposed deal for a minority government supported by the DUP is a deal with a homophobic, anti-choice and bigoted organisation whose views are rejected by the majority of the population in this country and are at odds with the ethos and policies of our union.

 We note the excellent role the NUT played in the election campaign, along with parents’ organisations and others, and believe it played a key role in shaping the campaign against austerity.

 We agree to send a message to Jeremy Corbyn and Emily Thornbury thanking them for putting education at the forefront of their campaigns.

 We further agree to:

1. Congratulate the NUT on the role it played in the campaign with evidence showing large numbers of people changed their voting intentions because of it.

2. Continue working with Fair Funding for All Schools and other parent organisations to encourage more parental involvement in our area and to consider what campaigning activities we can organise this term.

3.Call upon the national union to continue to work to expand the campaign against cuts, and against SATs, and other regressive polices such as the re-introduction of grammar schools.

4. Back action in any school or team threatened by cuts.

5. Support the London demonstration called for Sunday 16^th July and encourage all members to attend.

6. Work with sister unions and parent organisations and others to organise a national demonstration against education cuts in the autumn term.

7. Ask the executive to consider taking national strike action in the autumn term alongside or in addition to such a demonstration.

8. We welcome the formation of the Islington Parents fair funding for schools group and agree to support its activities.

 

 Democratic Unionist Party

Islington NUT is appalled by the proposed deal being arranged between the Tory party and the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) in order for them to form a minority government.

 We note that the DUP:

•   has supported the grammar school system, segregation of school students on the basis of religion and the introduction and maintenance of university fees and several of its senior members have supported the introduction of the teaching of creationism in schools alongside or as an alternative to science
• has long been a staunch opponent of marriage equality and reproductive rights
• has no policy on climate change and several senior members, including a former minister for the environment have denied the existence of climate change
• supports investment in a replacement nuclear weapons programme for Trident.
• maintains the support of and close ties to the para-military organisations the Ulster Defence Association and the Ulster Volunteer Force
• has supported sectarianism through its support for the the Orange Order and Islamophobia through its association with and support for Pastor James McConnell and his comments that Islam is "heathen," "satanic," and "a doctrine spawned in hell."

We recognise that such views are at odds with the ethos and policies of our union and we firmly oppose them.

 

Austerity Fight Film

ITA notes that Phil Maxwell, a previous member at C & I, is making a feature length documentary film about campaigns against austerity. The film will be premiered at the East End Film festival in London this year. The film will aim to give a voice to those who are not normally heard including those who are suffering from austerity and are actively campaigning against it. NUT members have been interviewed for the film.

ITA welcomes the Austerity Fight film and agrees to donate £100 towards its production.

 

Grenfell Fire

_{Islington NUT believes that the Grenfell Tower fire is not a “failure of the state” (T.May) but a failure of the government and ruling party to take its responsibility for the care and safety of all citizens seriously. In particular they have}

•         _{discouraged concern for health and safety and sought to deregulate building standards}
•         _{encouraged a climate where private contractors building or renovating social housing have felt able to cut corners, do shoddy work, use cheap and inadequate materials and bully tenants and service users not to complain about it.}
•         _{sought to “socially cleanse” central London of anyone unable to afford market rents.}
•        _{failed so badly at local level in co-ordinating the emergency response that essential support work has had to be carried out by other councils and voluntary groups.}

_{Those elements of the emergency services that they have not managed to cut responded heroically; and communities across London have shown a human solidarity that puts the government to shame.}

_{We support the call for:}

•         _{empty houses and flats bought as investments and left empty to be Compulsory Purchased by the state and for the surviving former tenants of Grenfell to be rehoused in them at the rents they were paying previously and for this to be seen as a precedent for dealing with housing need.}
•         _{combustible cladding materials such as that use on Grenfell to be banned immediately and removed with full funding from central government.}
•         _{all contractors and the TMO to be held accountable for their failures.}
•         _{all people conducting fire risk assessments to be properly trained.}
•         _{the public inquiry to fully engage with the tenants and their action group and tenants and their legal representatives to be funded by government}
•         _{the resignation of all those responsible for this, starting with the  leader of the council and the former Minister for Housing, Gavin Barwell, now the Prime Minister’s chief of staff, for his failure to review fire safety in tower blocks following the recommendations of the report into the Lakanal House fire}
•        _{all councils to immediately retro fit all tower blocks with sprinklers to be funded by the government}
•         _{the reversal of cuts to fire service and the stepping up of their fire safety role.}
•         _{the government to requisition high quality temporary accommodation for those displaced from homes in Kensington and those affected in Camden}
•         _{an immediate updated of building regulations}
•        _{meaningful consultation with residents in all social housing.}
• 
  

We  note that there has never been a death by fire in a building fitted with sprinklers and recognise that the government’s plan to downgrade the planning regulations for new schools in England contrary to the advice of the All Party Parliamentary Fire Safety and Rescue Group, the Fire Sector Federation, the Chief Fire Officers Association, the Fire Brigades Union (FBU), as well as NUT, so that in the new Building Bulletin

•         _{the previous requirement to install sprinklers was made optional}
•         _{there would no longer any encouragement to use non-combustible cladding}
•         _{cloakrooms were removed from the list of places that are considered a special fire risk.}
• 
  

was only withdrawn as a result of the outcry arising from this fire.
We further recognise that this government will do only as much as it is forced to do on this matter and as little as it can get away with and that deregulation in the interests of cutting costs is its default position.

_{We resolve to :}

•         _{clarify with the council the position of all schools in relation to cladding and sprinklers}
•        _{write to the secretary of state expressing these concerns, to copy in our local MPs}
•       _{Write to the Tribune and the Gazette}
• 
  

Finsbury Park Terorist Attack

 Islington NUT sends its support and condolences to our Muslim brothers and sisters attacked in Finsbury Park last night. 

 This was an Islamophobic terrorist attack, designed to inflict maximum harm and fear among Muslims not just in Islington but throughout the UK.

 It was aimed at dividing our community at a time when we need to be united against racism, war and austerity.

 Islington NUT stands in solidarity with those killed or injured in last night's attack and with all their friends and relatives.

 We treasure our Muslim pupils,parents and teachers in Islington and will do everything in our power to support and defend them.

 

 

 Motion on Primary Testing

ITA fully supports the Union’s policy objective to bring about change in the system of primary assessment and the removal of SATs and high stakes testing.  We commend the work done by all those involved in The More Than a Score coalition and the work they have done on promoting an alternative to the current assessment system

We believe that the reforms announced by the current government, although a step in the right direction, do not significantly change the experience of children and teachers, or address the profession’s fundamental concerns.

We therefore fully support the decision taken by delegates at the unions Easter conference to conduct an internal NUT ballot of all primary members during the Autumn term to ascertain the levels of commitment for members in refusing to administer KS2 tests and if there is sufficient support shown ballot members as appropriate for a boycott of the 2018 SATs.

 Clean Energy

Islington NUT notes that 67 local authorities have pledged to take measures to use 100% clean energy by 2050.

We congratulate Islington for being one of these and resolve to write to the lead councillor on the environment asking:

1.      for an outline of the council’s plans to achieve this, particularly as they apply to schools

2.      for the council to disinvest from any remaining fossil fuel stocks held by the LA pension fund or other investments.

We agree to support the "Fossil free Islington" event at the Town Hall on Saturday 13th May to recognise the positive steps taken so far and urge their acceleration.

We further agree to pass this motion on to the Trades Council and circulate to other LA unions and local MPs.

CND

Islington NUT is shocked by the government's announcement that it would make first use of nuclear weapons in some circumstances. We recognise that this would be a crime against humanity for which there can be no justification.

We therefore resolve to

1.      Re-affiliate to the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (at a cost of £25).

2.      Put a link to their peace education department on our website and alert our members to it by email.

Emergency resolution on EIS dispute.

ITA Agrees to send a message of support to the EIS in their current dispute and asks the committee to consider making a donation to their strike fund.