NASUWT Islington Association

THE CAREER TEACHER’S ORGANISATION    April 2002

Annual General Meeting
Time:    4:30 - 6pm
Date:     Tuesday 21st May 2002
Venue: Masque Haunt Public House,
    Old Street EC1 (near the tube)
refreshments will of course be provided

www.islington.nasuwt.org.uk

To all Islington Teachers,

Well I hope you all had a good break over Easter. This Summer term is going to be a long one - fourteen school weeks and if it's as hot as last year we're going to need all the energy we have to keep going until July.


I spent the second half of the Easter break at our Annual Conference in Scarborough. There was the usual annual report from Executive on what the union has achieved over the year as well as one on the changing role of teachers. There was also more than the usual level of interesting debate:

Conference was not happy at how the future of the union had been discussed so far and sent the whole matter back to be looked at again.

There was heated debate on the role of "teaching assistants" and the level of support that is provided to those in membership. There was concern about competing with other TUC unions and the matter was not voted on.

There was a strange discussion about the government promoting single faith schools. In the end the original proposer no longer supported the motion. The vote went to a card count (the only one this year) and the motion was passed - in favour of a move towards wholly secular education. No doubt this will be revisited in the future.

My amendment to a motion on privatisation regarding employment rights for supply teachers went down like a lead balloon. never mind, at least it has been put on the agenda.

Campaigning for a realistic London Weighting Allowance is finally the formal policy of the National union, not just the London associations.

News in Brief
If you have received the TUC H&S questionnaire, please complete and return it.
EDM # 986 on LWA - encourage your MP to vote.
Discussions on the future of the union have been put on hold while options are discussed.
London Allowance Campaign continues.
Islington Council is moving to a cabinet model.
Vincent McDonnell has resigned as Director of Education. Moham

Jeremy Corbyn, along with several other MPs, has tabled an early day motion (EDM #986) "Teachers London Allowances" pointing out how difficult it is to retain teachers and calling for an allowance comparable by the one the police receive. Please lobby your MPs to support this motion.

As a special offer: I've been given a pair of tickets for the Brands Hatch Classic Festival (children go free) on Saturday 18th May which I will give to the first person to write to their MP. Not that you won't all write without encouragement, of course ...


Below is the nomination sheet for union officers. This is the result of various union legislation. The main effect is that if positions are contested, there has to be a postal ballot. All those interested have to be nominated before the agendas go out to give time for the ballot to be completed.

Nominations for Offices within Islington NASUWT

Candidates for offices in the Islington Association should be eligible for membership of the association (that is, be a paid up full member of the NASUWT and have a connection with the borough, working in Islington or choosing Islington as the association which best serves his/her interests)

This is to nominate ....................................................................................................................
of .............................................................................................................. school / PRU / other
for the post of :
Secretary   Assistant Secretary  
Treasurer   Health and Safety Officer  
Vice President      



This nomination is proposed by ...............................................................................................
of ............................................................................................................. school / PRU / other
and seconded by .......................................................................................................................
of ............................................................................................................. school / PRU / other

Declaration to be signed by the candidate:
I, ............................................... (print name) am a paid-up member of the NASUWT and am prepared to accept the nomination for the above post,
signed ....................................................... date ...............................

Nominations should be sent to Greg Robbins, Islington NASUWT, Richard Cloudesley School, Golden lane London EC1Y 0TJ (fax: 7251 4911) to arrive by Tuesday 30th April.

If there is only one nomination for a post then that person will be elected unopposed. Postal ballots will be arranged in the event of a contested election.

Additional posts could be created at the AGM if the meeting so desired. These posts could include, but would not be limited to:
Social Events Officer, Equal Opportunities Officer, London Liaison Officer, Benevolence Officer
Technically these posts would be subject to ratification at the Autumn General Meeting.-



Incredibly, the agreed guidance on banked time in Islington schools has still not been produced. CEA has kept it circulating to all interested parties, but we expect it to be published by half term at the latest.



The structure of Islington Council is changing. there will be no Education Committee. The full council will still have 48 members, but there will be a cabinet of the "Leader" plus eight others. An overview committee will then review decisions that are made. "Area Committees" will hold monthly meetings in the North, South, East and West of the borough. It is not clear how the unions fit into this structure. It could all change after May, of course ....


When the agendas are circulated, we will also include a questionnaire about how (if?) you all wish to be contacted. Obviously more people receive the information if it is sent to home addresses, but the cost of postage is greater than if it is sent to schools. If it comes to schools, should the school rep photocopy it and hand it out, or should multiple copies be sent ?

Please take the time to respond when you get the agenda.


Greg Robbins