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Defending Teachers, Defending Education

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PAY: National Strike Action needed

Clarke throws down the gauntlet

Charles Clarke and the Review Body have thrown down the gauntlet to us on pay.

Their proposals threaten the setting of fragmented local pay, the blocking of pay progression beyond UPS 3 to all but the chosen few, as well as the cutting back of Management Allowances. Perhaps worst of all, they want every teacher’s pay rise to be performance-related, even on the main scale.

Faced with inadequate budgets, schools will use these measures to ration pay. "Teaching-to-the-test" will become even more rife as colleagues compete to show who has the "best" results. Unless we respond urgently, staffrooms will be divided and union action undermined.

Failed by our leadership

It was the failure of our present Union leadership to decisively oppose performance pay when it was first introduced that has encouraged the Government to act.

Unlike them, Martin Powell-Davies, as one of the main organisers of School Teachers Opposed to Performance Pay (STOPP), worked to build a serious opposition to PRP. He also helped build the two solid days of strike action over London Allowances in 2002.

At Martin’s initiative, STOPP organised a lively demonstration through London in 2000. If elected to NUT General Secretary, Martin would call for another protest – but this time with the full backing of the NUT. Such a mass demonstration would be the first step in launching a campaign of national industrial action to oppose these attacks on our pay and to demand the restoration of teachers’ negotiating rights.

Build a national one day strike

Given the scale of the threats we face, Martin believes that the Union needs to prepare a campaign to win a ballot for a one-day national strike.

The action over pay in London showed that where the Union gives a lead, members will respond. A serious national campaign linking both the need for pay rises to match the escalating costs of bills, mortgages and council tax, and the need to defeat divisive PRP, would gain support.

But to convince NUT members that, this time, the Union is serious about defending members, a new leadership is needed. A victory for Martin Powell- Davies would be a decisive step in making that change.

Oppose Performance Pay and the Pay Freeze

"The latest pay ‘deal’ threatens a future where our salaries are determined by questionable judgements of performance, instead of according to experience and responsibilities. I would organise a national demonstration as a first step in a campaign of action to defend our pay and conditions"

Martin Powell-Davies

Instead of receiving mailings offering them loans and credit cards, if Martin Powell-Davies was General Secretary, NUT members would be sent publicity explaining the Government’s attacks – and what the Union was going to do about them.

If properly built for like this, a national demonstration could help lift the spirits and confidence of NUT members and prepare the way for the national action that will be needed to defeat the threats to teachers’ pay and pensions.

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