Teachers vote on strike action at NUT conference as anger erupts

http://www.theguardian.com/education/2014/apr/19/teachers-vote-strike-action-nut-conference

Version 0 of 1.

The National Union of Teachers' executive struggled to rein in some of its members in their battle with the government over pay and conditions after heated arguments at its national conference in Brighton on Saturday over the pace and duration of future industrial action.

After unanimity in approving motions on Ofsted, teacher qualifications and free schools, a debate over further strike action in June exposed a desire by some members for an escalation in the union's tactics. The conference defeated an amendment calling for a series of strikes later this year, including two separate two-day strikes pencilled in for the autumn term of the 2014-15 school year. But the length of debate and accompanying card vote that was required meant the conference ran out of time to consider the main motion authorising strike action – delaying it until tomorrow, if time is available.

The amendment was comfortably defeated after a card vote by two to one, but it required the NUT executive to take centre stage in arguing against the more aggressive stance. The stronger amendment would have replaced wording in a motion drafted by the NUT executive that had a more moderate provision for a national strike to take place in late June.

James Barry, a member of the executive, criticised the amendment as tipping the union's hand. "I almost feel as if I'm in a parallel universe," he said, explaining the provisions for strike action that the main motion already contained. "I don't think the public is going to be best pleased to hear that there will be four days of industrial action this term," said Barry. In response a delegate from the floor called out: "We are the public."

Kiri Tunks, a member of the conference business committee, argued that extended strike action would face opposition from the union's membership. "Do I think I can go back to east London with this action plan and win backing from members? I don't think I can," Tunks said. But Gemma Short of Rotherham supported the call for two longer strikes: "If we're serious, we need to have a serious industrial dispute."

Earlier, NUT delegates enthusiastically endorsed a motion calling for the overhaul of Ofsted and its role in inspecting schools. Jan Nielsen, a teacher from Wandsworth, said that inspections caused stress for teachers, calling it "a regime of terror" instigated by the government. "The tool of that terror has been Ofsted," said Nielsen. The motion proposed a policy of non-co-operation with Ofsted inspections – a move that would make them difficult to carry out in schools with a high number of NUT members. "We have to turn the clock back and say we want proper accountability," said Alex Kenny, a member of the NUT executive.

Earlier, the conference resoundingly passed a motion opposing the free schools policy and the forced conversion of maintained schools with poor Ofsted inspection results into academies.

After the motion was carried, Christine Blower, the NUT general secretary, said: "The government is spending vast sums of money on free schools for small numbers of students, often in areas in which there is no need for new places. Meanwhile, across the country, head teachers are crying out for funding to renovate and repair dilapidated buildings, recruit sufficient staff and provide enough places for local families."

Delegates also backed a policy of restricting the definition of teacher to "only those who have undertaken and completed training and statutory qualifications", with speakers arguing that allowing unqualified staff in classrooms was an attempt to "de-professionalise" their job. A survey of 1,500 parents commissioned by the NUT found that 82% agreed with the proposition that schools should only employ qualified teachers.

Delegates to the NASUWT annual conference – taking place simultaneously in Birmingham – passed a similar motion calling for state school teachers to be required to have qualified status.

Shadow education secretary Tristram Hunt received applause at the NASUWT conference after he outlined Labour's plans to require all teachers to be qualified. "No education system can outperform the quality of teaching in the classroom," Hunt said.

The incoming president of the NUT, Max Hyde, told the conference that she had been heartened by the support teachers had received from families and members of the public. "Teachers do not take strike action lightly. We care very much about the children and young people we teach and the communities in which we work.""But we cannot stand by when teachers' pay is eroded, our pensions attacked and out workload is unsustainable."