Elect Martin Powell-Davies: 

Defending Teachers, Defending Education

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31 January 2004

Report from Campaign Meeting, January 31st 2004

We held an upbeat and very constructive first meeting of the campaign this afternoon.

Martin was able to list over 50 Local NUT Associations where teachers – many of them Association officers – were supporting his nomination. So far 20 of these had invited Martin to speak at a hustings meeting. Lewisham and Bromley NUT Associations were already going out to ballot to seek support for Martin’s nomination.

The enthusiastic response that Martin’s materials had received so far was already demonstrating why Martin was right to be standing – and that he was standing to win. It also meant that we were hopeful that he would receive at least the 10 nominations required to appear on the final ballot paper. However, given the official backing of the STA and CDFU for Ian Murch, and that of Broadly Speaking and the union officialdom for the other two candidates, turning support into successful nominations depended on making sure that the campaign materials were distributed and teachers encouraged to attend the nomination meetings and/or to vote in nomination ballots.

Martin has compiled a diary of the meetings that we are aware of at this time. The campaign will be contacting supporters to find out what they can do to help win support for Martin in their Association. Anyone who thinks that they know NUT members who might support the campaign should contact Martin with contact details.

Thanks were given to Derek McMillan for his work on setting up the campaign website at http://elect-martin.tripod.com. The website also contained a copy of the National Union rules for nominations and ballots – essential to follow so that nominations cannot be challenged.

Everyone expressed support for the general approach taken so far in the campaign materials. Some useful suggestions were made as to how the leaflet going to the printers might be laid out and some minor additions/revisions to the content. Martin was taking these points away to discuss with the printers with the aim of producing the leaflets as soon as possible. These will be mailed to every NUT Association but, in particular, to supporters to use to help build the campaign. Please contact Martin to let him know how many you need.

Martin confirmed that he taught two GCSE science groups a week (y.10 and y.11) on top of his work as NUT Association Secretary and Joint Union Secretary in Lewisham. It was felt that this, along with his pledge to remain on his present classroom teachers’ salary, made an important contrast to the other candidates. While other candidates promised “vision” or “strategy”, only Martin had listed concrete steps that he would take as GS.

The meeting supported the general approach that Martin had set out towards the other candidates in his letter “Why I have decided to stand for GS”. John Bangs and Steve Sinnott were part of an existing leadership that had failed teachers for too long. Ian Murch was also calling for a change in the Union and we would want to call for a transfer to Ian in the final ballot. We were hoping Ian would confirm that he would take the same approach to our campaign. However, a number of doubts were raised about Ian’s actions and platform and the meeting was confident that Martin’s record and programme would attract support.

It was agreed to open a bank account in the name of the “Elect Martin Campaign” at the NatWest Bank in Catford. The three signatories would be Linda Taaffe as Chair, Martin Powell-Davies as Secretary and Alison Long as treasurer. A plan was outlined for an initial £1,200 expenditure. So far, this is based on the £2,000 agreed (by 39 to 3) at the Lewisham NUT General Meeting. Obviously, particularly if we are successful in challenging to win the final ballot, more financial support will be needed and supporters are urged to appeal for support from Local Associations. An appeal letter will be circulated once account details are confirmed.

The meeting was attended by teachers from: Haringey, Lewisham, Waltham Forest, Southwark, Coventry, Newham, Brent, Camden, Hackney, Bromley and Croydon. While the attendance had, on this occasion, been mainly London-based, this did not reflect the geographical spread of support for Martin’s campaign. Apologies had been received from supporters in NUT Associations in many different parts of England.

The next campaign committee was fixed for Saturday Feb 28^th from 12 – 2 p.m. , again in the Lucas Arms Pub, Grays Inn Road, near Kings Cross.

Martin Powell-Davies 07946 445488 c/o NUT Office, 25 Bromley Road, Catford, London SE6 2DF.