A new union for education professionals and their learners

A new union for education professionals and their learners The NUT and ATL have a vision for education which enables learners to understand and contribute to wider society and which supports and improves the working lives of education professionals. And so given the unprecedented challenges facing education, the NUT and ATL have been talking about combining our resources and strengthening our voice on matters such as: campaigning to protect education for children, young people and adults; delivering first rate case work for members; and negotiating pay and conditions with more and more employers.

Our two unions are financially secure with growing memberships – the NUT is the largest teachers’ union in the UK and ATL has strong numbers of teachers, lecturers, support staff and other education professionals. Together we represent the majority of all teachers and provide a powerful voice for education professionals.

As we move towards creating a new union, we know you have many questions so we encourage you to talk to us, your local representatives and your Executive members.

NUT General Secretary What’s the vision for a new union?

Given the current challenges in education, a new union with combined resources aims to give its members: excellent advice, support and representation; learning and development opportunities; and a stronger voice in local and national negotiations and campaigns.

A new union will not replicate what already exists. It is a chance for ATL and the NUT to work as equal partners to build on what works well within ATL and the NUT and within other unions. The NUT is the largest teachers’ union in state schools in England and Wales while ATL has influence in every sector and role across the UK’s education workforce.

A new union will be neither ATL nor the NUT. This is a great opportunity to create a union ready to meet the current challenges and able to speak with authority as the voice of education professionals.

Who will join the new union?

ATL and the NUT support the same types of members in England and Wales including

ATL General Secretary

leaders and managers, and independent and sixth form sectors. ATL also supports lecturers and leaders in FE and HE, as well as support staff across every sector. ATL also organises in Scotland and Northern Ireland. A new union will offer membership and a democratic voice to every existing membership category.

What will it cost to join?

At the point when we start operating as a new union, no ATL or NUT member will pay a higher subs rate than they were paying before that date.

Which union should I join now?

You should join the union which you feel best meets your needs. After all, a new union might not come about. You can join both the NUT and ATL if you wish but, at this point in the process, we don’t offer joint membership.

How will the NUT and ATL reconcile their different approaches?

The NUT and ATL have very similar policies and already work closely together in talks with the Government. We both believe that dialogue and debate is crucial with industrial action a last resort. The NUT’s industrial strategy has, in recent years, included action short of strike action backed by occasional regional and national strikes. ATL members have actively pursued strategies to defend members pay and conditions including taking industrial action on a local and regional basis.

A new union will research and reflect the wishes of the wider membership on how to make their voices heard, which does not rule out national ballots for action, but does mean ballots for action are not the first line of defence.

What’s the progress so far?

At separate special conferences on 5 November, ATL and NUT delegates voted in favour of balloting the wider membership on whether to create a new union or not. These conferences were held after two years of informal then formal talks between the unions, conducted by the Joint Officer Group whose members reported back to their Executive Committees, district and branches and annual conferences in 2015 and 2016 on the progress of talks and proposed structures, rules and timeframes.

What are the next steps?

During spring 2017, eligible members of ATL and the NUT will be balloted separately over whether they wish to create a new union. YES votes will lead to a new union – the National Education Union - forming on 1 September 2017 with a transition period until amalgamation is complete on 1 January 2019.

What happens if ATL and/or NUT members decide they don’t want a new union?

We have been working closely with members at every level to understand what they expect and need from a new union. ATL and NUT members will be balloted separately but concurrently about moving into a new union. If either or both memberships say NO, then the new union does not continue.

Who will be the general secretary of a new union?

After a transitional period, the new union will have joint general secretaries for five years.

What’s the impact of a new union on members in terms of support?

Even by consolidating our current resources, a new union gives us the chance to deliver even better support for our members: case work; policy development; campaigns and lobbying; and our CPD offer.

In terms of facilities time, ATL and the NUT have agreed that during the transition period, local ATL and NUT reps will retain existing and separate facility time and, after the transition period, that facility time will be allocated in line with existing ratios of ATL and NUT facility time. All existing recognition agreements will be inherited by a new union, including, for instance, those that ATL and AMiE have with independent schools and FE colleges.