Strike action by staff at the nation’s largest teachers’ union, which was set to take place on September 10, has been suspended following an offer from management.
Hundreds of staff at the NEU teaching union had been set to walk out over issues including proposed job cuts and changes to contracts, which arose following the merger of the NUT and the ATL unions to form the NEU last year.
Helen Purcell, regional organiser at the GMB, which represents around 200 employees at the NEU (mostly former ATL staff), said September 10 had been strategically chosen in order to cause disruption at the start of the new year, which is a peak time for teachers seeking advice and new teachers seeking to join a union.
She said a series of talks with NEU management had resulted in an “improved offer,” which was pending recommendation from the GMB’s NEU branch executive.
She said: “Due to the restructuring there was going to be a process whereby staff would have had to reapply for their jobs. But this is not going to happen now, and everyone will be guaranteed a job in the new structure, while those that have opted to take voluntary redundancy will be doing so. There have also been improvements in contracts.”
She added: “It’s very unusual for staff who work for a trade union to take action, but the management-change process wasn’t handled as well as it could have been and there was anger. It’s not over yet but I’m optimistic we’ll find a resolution.”
Tensions were reported to have surfaced since the two unions came together last September - in a move designed to pool resources and achieve greater clout in a “super union” with close to 500,000 members across the education sector.
The strike on September 10 was set to have been coordinated action between the GMB and Unite union, which also represents staff from both the NUT and ATL sections of the NEU. Unite previously accused the NEU of “salami-slicing” pay and conditions ahead of 24-hour industrial action by around 200 NEU (ATL section) employees in July this year.
Commenting on the decision to suspend the September action, a Unite spokesman said: “Following an offer from management, Unite has agreed to call off scheduled industrial action to allow the union [Unite] to consult with its members.”
The NEU has been approached for comment.
