National Executive Meeting Report
Strategic Committees met in the morning prior to the full NEC in the afternoon. I sit on the Policy, Research and Campaigns Committee
Committee – Policy, Research and Campaigns
- Discussion about the proposed Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill.
- Agreed motion to TUC LGBT+ Workers’ Conference which calls for TUC to support unions to ensure LGBT+ workers and other marginalised groups are protected at work
- Agreed statement to inform debate at TUC Women’s Conference, which sets out the NEU’s position on sex workers
- Discussion on the arts in school and launch of an independent review. The union is also working with the Arts and Minds Coalition to highlight the squeeze on creative subjects in schools
- Discussion on school funding. 76% of primaries and 94% of secondaries will need to make cuts next year in order to afford the proposed unfunded 2.8% pay rise for teachers. This year in real terms, school funding is at its lowest level since 2010. The school cuts website has been updated and now contains special schools and maintained nurseries.
General Secretary’s Report
- Sixth form dispute update: 7 days of strike action. Offer improved to give 5.5% from April and 3.5% from September to staff in unacademised sixth forms. Reps are meeting this week to decide next stage.
- Daniel has met with health unions to look at a joint response to the public sector unfunded 2.8% pay offer
- Unison and Unite have asked the NEU to contribute to their submission on pay. Support staff members have been sent an electronic survey to complete.
NEC Meeting
Membership Report: Slight fall in membership in December and some of that is student members not converting to full membership
Financial Report: Variance budget shows we are slightly better off than we had budgeted.
Urgency Reports:
Policy, Research and Campaigns: Motion to TUC LGBT+ Conference agreed. Statement on sex workers agreed.
Bargaining and Negotiation: Agreed a strategy for support staff – where we can take action and are strong we will. Stressed importance of reps in schools for indicative ballot and school meetings to get the vote out.
General Purposes Committee: Donation of £60,000 agreed to Hope not Hate. Donation of £100,000 agreed to Stand up to Racism
Member Defence: No urgency
Union Strength: Agreed wording change to OF/NC constitutions to change female to woman
International: Agreed donation of £15,000 to Kenyan National Union of teachers for leadership development project. Agreed donation of £20,000 to Rahingya Centre UK. Agreed donation of £3,000 for reprint of “Beyond the Blockade” book about Cuba.
Action Committee
In 2024, the action committee authorised 297 formal ballots (138 authorised in 2023). This year they have already authorised 33 formal ballots.
General Motions
Motion passed on the right to demonstrate
To contact me:
email: deborah.gwynn@neu.org.uk
Tel: 07552198769