Saturday 5 April 2003
The NUT has welcomed confirmation by theEducation Secretary, Charles Clarke, that changes in the teachers contract andregulations on who may teach will be made by parliament and not by thesignatories to the Governments agreement on school workforce reform.
The confirmation came in a letter to theUnion from the Education Secretary, following threats by the NUT of courtproceedings if the legally required consultation was merely a sham and ifparliaments statutory role was over-ridden.
The NUT refused to sign up to theagreement. The other teacher organisations in England and the support staffunions who did sign, have been discussing privately with the Government itsemerging ideas on school workforce reform. The consultation, which must takeplace by law, however will involve the NUT.The Government will take the Unions comments fully into accountalongside those of the signatories.
Nothing in the 15 January agreementoverrides statutory consultation and parliamentary procedures, said Mr Clarkein his letter to the NUT, yesterday, Friday 4 April.
The NUT supports the NAHTs demand forproper funding to avoid redundancies in teaching or support staff but not theorganisations suggestion that any of those who signed the agreement should beable to veto proposals to improve teachers contracts and conditions.
Speaking to a teachers conference inCardiff, John Bangs, head of education at the NUT, warned against any delays in implementing reductions in teachersworkload or any attempt to make such reductions discretionary for headteachers.
The NUT will insist that the reforms toreduce burdens on teachers, due to be implemented in September, go ahead. Byrefusing to sign the agreement, the NUT is free to advise members to refuse toaccept unnecessary burdens.
E N D PR28/03
For further information contact: Olive Forsythe tel: 020 7380 4706 (office) or mobile 07879 480061.
NOTE TO EDITOR: John Bangs, head of education at the NUT, is addressing the NUTsAll Wales conference at 2.30 on Saturday 5 April, 2003 at the Park Hotel,Cardiff.