Teachers to Strike on Thursday 25th June at Sussex Downs College against Cuts

Please see below the message about NUT members at Sussex Downs College striking to protect jobs and education.

Messages of support are really welcomed just email them to

secretary@lewes-eastbourne-and-wealden.nut.org.uk

and and I will pass them onto the reps.

Teachers to Strike on Thursday 25th June at Sussex Downs College against Cuts

Government Cuts to leave Eastbourne with no A-Level Modern Foreign Language provision

National Union of Teachers members at Sussex Downs College have set a strike date of 25th June against cuts to jobs. This is one of a series of strike dates that the college management have been informed of as teachers stand up to oppose compulsory redundancies and government cuts to education.  

Cuts to Further Education now mean that funding for 16-18 year olds is now 25% lower than those in Secondary Education and the year on year reduction has left Sussex Downs cutting jobs and cutting courses.

These cuts will mean not only compulsory redundancies for teachers and more teachers being moved onto casual contracts without guaranteed hours but also major cuts in courses. For example Eastbourne will be left with no A-Level Modern Foreign Language provision outside of private schools. 

Phil Clarke Secretary of Lewes, Eastbourne and Wealden NUT explained,

“This strike, which could be the first in a series, is to protect our members against losing their jobs and livelihoods.  The hypocrisy of this Government means that while they talk of making Britain globally competitive their cuts will mean you cannot study any A Level foreign language course in Eastbourne as courses are dropped. Our 96% yes vote for action gives us a clear sign from our members that jobs need to be protected further strikes are planned if this is necessary.These strikes are about defending education”

Picket lines will be from 8:30am on Thursday the 25th June at the Kings Drive entrance to the Eastbourne Campus of Sussex Downs College.

The NUT mainly has its members in the Park College section of Sussex Downs. Supporters are welcome at the Picket Line

Phil Clarke Executive Report Jan 2015

 Education and Equalities

Discussion and general agreement was reached on final changes to motions for TUC conferences. The LGBT motion included important campaigning points on LGBT Equality being included in Initial Teacher training and for the disabled workers’ conference a motion on the damaged done by one size fits all test based curriculum.

Compass report

This report that the NUT has helped finance in a significant way has after an completely unacceptable first draft been heavily re-written. However it is still to far from NUT policy to be supported, not being anti-privatisation as well as distant from NUT positions on school inspections international tests and adult education. One more attempt is going to be made to make changes so we can endorse it but it may well end up not being join badge-able and the NUT will have to make clear its differences at any launch events.

Carter review into ITT

We heard that this did not recommend downgrading of PGCE as Tories wanted however many recommendations are worrying and the idea of a core curriculum for all ITT to deliver was central.

Most concerning is the clear bias towards school direct / academies ITT against university provision and the fact that the report did not address the growing teacher supply problem with significant percentages of recruitment falling short.

Prevent

The committee discussed the issues around ‘Prevent’ and role schools are now expected to play in counterterrorist monitoring.

Concern was shared by all on this particularly on the idea of ‘British Values’ which is suggested we the positive values highlighted are somehow uniquely British and the difficulties teachers have reported this sort of expectation is causing when trying to discuss complex issues such as terrorism and imperialism.  Certainly it was not felt appropriate that OFSTED should be making judgments on a schools ability to monitor students as has already happened in East London.

College of Teaching Proposal Briefing

A briefing was held plans for a college of teaching. These moving forward but on a worrying basis.

The outline seems to be ill thought through with a voluntary organization asking teachers to volunteer to have more observations to receive master teacher status with dubious value. I was concerned that the meeting was not hard enough on the plans and this concern is reinforced by the press release that was far too uncritical of the scheme.  

Organising and Membership

Main discussion centered around the accountability of organisers and how they can and should work alongside division officers. This is a not unexpected teething problem in my opinion and one where the union can meet the correct balance of maintaining the democratic accountability of the division while maximizing the effect of the organisers.

Full Executive

The executive heard a report that updated us on our Stand Up for Education campaign. Clearly some impressive work is being done with the manifesto, lobbying and questions times.

However on the central demands we took to the government we had not been given any clear concessions. With this in mind it was concerning to see no plans for further industrial action in the report despite this being agreed previously and endorsed by 80% of the respondents in our survey

I seconded an objection that sought to simply reintroduce the working unanimously agreed in October that if sufficient progress was not made the officers should draw up plans for up to two days strike action. Disappointingly this was defeated 24 – 12 and leaves me concerned that we will not follow through on the steer given by members.

This fear is all the greater given the announcements since the executive by Nicky Morgan which have offer nothing concrete to reduce teacher workload.