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.

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