An open and shut case

STRIKES by NEU members at a free school forced significant improvements to their contract of employment. The London Design and Engineering UTC (LDE), in east London, agreed to the equivalent of Burgundy Book protections to contractual notice, and improved dismissal proceedings – including the right to an appeal. The changes came after teacher Sharon Morgan was summarily dismissed in September, two months after she became an NEU rep and raised health and safety concerns, triggering strikes in protest (pictured above and see Educate, Jan/Feb). The LDE paid a settlement to Sharon before her case went to a tribunal hearing. PHOTO by Kois Miah n MEMBERS at Barrow Hedges School in Sutton, south London, announced six days of strikes against childcare arrangements during the pandemic. The school is not allowing staff to work from home if their child is self-isolating, and demanding they take unpaid leave to stay at home when lockdown ends. The first day of action was due to start on 24 February.

Blindingly obvious? Not to Boris

A MASS turnout of members on a Sunday Zoom call was part of a show of strength by the NEU that saw the Government agree to close schools – just hours after they had reopened for the spring term.

More than 400,000 educators took part in the live-streamed call with joint general secretaries Mary Bousted and Kevin Courtney on 3 January, a day after the NEU executive had met to agree a strategy on the way forward.

Key to the proposals was the use of Section 44 (of the Employment Rights Act 1996) letters for primary school members to send, stating they believed they were in “serious and imminent danger” if they returned to their workplaces as normal.

Back to school… but just for one day

In the face of rising cases of Covid-19 and deaths, the Government was still insisting schools were safe on Monday 4 January. By that afternoon, just hours after many schools had opened, the country saw yet another U-turn by the Prime Minister and schools were told to close immediately as he announced a national lockdown.

Mary Bousted said at the time: “Noone wanted schools and colleges to be shut again, but the evidence clearly pointed to the necessity for this to happen a week ago. Why Boris Johnson allowed such confusion and chaos to build up around school openings before making this belated, blindingly obvious decision is beyond belief.”

Within days, 16,000 new members joined the NEU (23,000 by end of January), over 300 became reps (doubling to 640 by February), and Section 44 letters were sent to more than 6,000 primary schools.

The NEU’s Facebook page is now the biggest in the labour movement.

Kevin and Mary said they were “tremendously proud” of all the work done to achieve what is seen as a turning point in the union’s history.

facebook.com/nationaleducationunion

A battle on two fronts: early years struggle with funding and Covid

TEACHERS in early years settings have been juggling the demands of keeping themselves and pupils safe, as well as the pressures of funding during and after the pandemic.

The Government insisted that nursery schools remain open despite the closure of primary and secondary schools and rising cases of Covid-19 in the sector during January.

At the same time it continued with the census on which future funding is based. Educators feared the lower numbers of children attending would mean a reduced financial settlement.

At the last minute, the Department for Education revised its approach and asked for providers to complete the census based on the number of children registered rather than the number actually in attendance.

Cath Earley, head teacher of a maintained nursery school in Sefton, Merseyside, said: “If I made last-minute decisions in running my school like this Government repeatedly does, I would be sacked.”

n neu.org.uk/keep-early-years-safe-and-funded n Birth to 5 Matters has been drawn up by the Early Years Coalition, of which the NEU is a member. Visit birthto5matters.org.uk