Figures revealed by the Liberal Democrats have exposed another broken promise from Gordon Brown's government.
In 2006, Gordon famously promised that he aimed to fund state school children at the same level as private school pupils. If met, that really would have been a reform that would have made Gordon popular, genuinely making sure that 'every child matters'.
The truth, however, is that the spending gap hasn't just remained, it has got even wider - increasing from a gap of around £3,400 per pupil in 2006 to over £4,400 now.
We can't rely on Governments to meet their pledges on funding - apart from those that are starting to pledge cuts of course. That's why I am campaigning for national action to win the funding needed to meet pupil needs - and to cut teacher workload.
Martin Powell-Davies
Sunday, 14 June 2009
Phoney consultation replaces real debate
A few years ago, the public relations manager for Orange - in charge of convincing people that they could trust the safety of their mobile phone masts - decided to post his cynical definition of 'consultation' as "a formal system for ignoring public views while patronising them at the same time". Sound familiar?
Local Councils seem to have taken this definition to heart when 'consulting' over chnages to education. In Lewisham, the Council has consistently pushed ahead with reorganisation plans despite parental and staff opposition.
Their latest 'consultation' is about the plan for Goldsmiths College to set up a Trust with three local schools. The NUT, alongside other unions such as Goldsmiths UCU, are campaigning to stop this threat. But we know that we can't trust this to be any kind of genuine consultation.
The Council have helpfully provided a supposedly 'independent' organisation to evaluate responses to the Trust proposal, called "The Innovation Unit". A quick web serach reveals their 'independent ' board to include David Albury, Principal Adviser in the Prime Minister's Strategy Unit from 2002-2005, and Matthew Horne who advises the Cabinet Office Strategy Unit on 'public service improvement' amongst others !!
We certainly won't be relying on their independence! We will be relying on our organisation and arguments, leafletting, lobbying and, if necessary, organising strike action to oppose these threats to locally accountable comprehensive education.
Local Councils seem to have taken this definition to heart when 'consulting' over chnages to education. In Lewisham, the Council has consistently pushed ahead with reorganisation plans despite parental and staff opposition.
Their latest 'consultation' is about the plan for Goldsmiths College to set up a Trust with three local schools. The NUT, alongside other unions such as Goldsmiths UCU, are campaigning to stop this threat. But we know that we can't trust this to be any kind of genuine consultation.
The Council have helpfully provided a supposedly 'independent' organisation to evaluate responses to the Trust proposal, called "The Innovation Unit". A quick web serach reveals their 'independent ' board to include David Albury, Principal Adviser in the Prime Minister's Strategy Unit from 2002-2005, and Matthew Horne who advises the Cabinet Office Strategy Unit on 'public service improvement' amongst others !!
We certainly won't be relying on their independence! We will be relying on our organisation and arguments, leafletting, lobbying and, if necessary, organising strike action to oppose these threats to locally accountable comprehensive education.
Sunday, 7 June 2009
Giving NUT members a choice in this election
A letter recently circulated by Bill Greenshields, the NUT ‘Ex-President’, stating his preferences for the upcoming union elections, has apparently caused a bit of a stir.
As it states boldly on our new Lewisham NUT banner, I agree that ‘unity is strength’ and so pulling trade unionists together to fight for our common interests is vital. That’s why I have been pleased that, putting aside our differences, both Bill and I have been supporters of the “No2EU, Yes to Democracy” initiative that started to provide a trade-union backed alternative to our sleazy privatising politicians in the June 2009 European elections.
I also agree with Bill that Local Associations and NUT members should have a chance to decide for themselves which candidates they want to support in union elections, rather than particular groupings believing that they have the right to impose on the Union who is allowed to stand – and who isn’t.
I’m used to the argument being made against me – for example at both the recent NUT nomination meetings in Lancaster and Bristol – that I’m not part of the ‘left slate’ of candidates chosen by the Socialist Teachers Alliance (STA) or Campaign for a Democratic and Fighting Union (CDFU). However, in both cases, the argument didn’t cut much ice with most teachers present – they were most interested in each candidate’s merits and demands – rather than which groups backed them. I’m glad to say that, on that basis, both meetings chose to give one of their nominations for Vice-President to me.
I know that the choice of this year’s VP and DGS candidates has proved controversial within the STA and CDFU. It has led to Simon Jones deciding to stand for VP separately to the CDFU’s official choice of Ken Cridland. Without agreement on a single candidate, Hazel Danson and Kevin Courtney are also now both seeking nomination for DGS. But what’s wrong with having that debate as part of the election? NUT members can hear the arguments and use their transferable vote to order their choice of preferred candidate.
Like Bill, I have my own preferences. I will not be supporting his choice of Martin Reed for DGS but will be backing Kevin Courtney. While Kevin and I have differed, e.g. over ‘cover supervisors’ at the 2009 Conference, I believe that, of the three DGS candidates, he is most willing to build the united action that we need to take to defend teachers and education. For me, Martin Reed is too much part of the ‘old guard’ that has held back such action for too long - while teachers’ working lives have got worse and worse.
I also can’t agree with Bill when he argues that, because of the undoubtedly serious threats to education, ‘factions’ in the Union should just put their arguments aside and all agree to ‘unite’. The logic of this approach is that there should be no elections at all, just leaving the leadership to decide who takes what post amongst themselves (Of course, leaving out those individuals, like myself, who aren’t part of any of the various groupings presently in the Union leadership!!).
Of course, there’s no room for petty squabbles because unity is indeed strength – but unity around what action strategy? When you face a serious threat, you also need a serious debate about how best the Union can respond to it. That’s what these elections are all about – to decide who can provide the best leadership with the correct strategy to answer the attacks on our conditions and on comprehensive education.
I am standing because I believe that I can help provide that leadership - as do others who are backing me, particularly many supporters of ‘Classroom Teacher’. I think anyone who knows me, or who reads my election materials, will be clear what I stand for.
Above all, I am campaigning for schools to be funded to meet the real needs of staff and students. Schools need more teachers, not less, so as to cut teacher workload. We also need staff to provide appropriately qualified cover and support to meet the needs of all our school students. But how can we win that? - by implementing the Union policy that I have argued for and won at successive Annual Conferences, calling for national strike action to be built for and organised to win our demands.
If you agree with my policies and if, in Bill’s words, you want the Union leadership to be “responsive to the whole membership and the diversity of view within it”, then please make sure that my views are indeed represented within that leadership by electing me as NUT Vice-President.
Martin Powell-Davies
Look at the comments below for a quick reply from Bill
As it states boldly on our new Lewisham NUT banner, I agree that ‘unity is strength’ and so pulling trade unionists together to fight for our common interests is vital. That’s why I have been pleased that, putting aside our differences, both Bill and I have been supporters of the “No2EU, Yes to Democracy” initiative that started to provide a trade-union backed alternative to our sleazy privatising politicians in the June 2009 European elections.
I also agree with Bill that Local Associations and NUT members should have a chance to decide for themselves which candidates they want to support in union elections, rather than particular groupings believing that they have the right to impose on the Union who is allowed to stand – and who isn’t.
I’m used to the argument being made against me – for example at both the recent NUT nomination meetings in Lancaster and Bristol – that I’m not part of the ‘left slate’ of candidates chosen by the Socialist Teachers Alliance (STA) or Campaign for a Democratic and Fighting Union (CDFU). However, in both cases, the argument didn’t cut much ice with most teachers present – they were most interested in each candidate’s merits and demands – rather than which groups backed them. I’m glad to say that, on that basis, both meetings chose to give one of their nominations for Vice-President to me.
I know that the choice of this year’s VP and DGS candidates has proved controversial within the STA and CDFU. It has led to Simon Jones deciding to stand for VP separately to the CDFU’s official choice of Ken Cridland. Without agreement on a single candidate, Hazel Danson and Kevin Courtney are also now both seeking nomination for DGS. But what’s wrong with having that debate as part of the election? NUT members can hear the arguments and use their transferable vote to order their choice of preferred candidate.
Like Bill, I have my own preferences. I will not be supporting his choice of Martin Reed for DGS but will be backing Kevin Courtney. While Kevin and I have differed, e.g. over ‘cover supervisors’ at the 2009 Conference, I believe that, of the three DGS candidates, he is most willing to build the united action that we need to take to defend teachers and education. For me, Martin Reed is too much part of the ‘old guard’ that has held back such action for too long - while teachers’ working lives have got worse and worse.
I also can’t agree with Bill when he argues that, because of the undoubtedly serious threats to education, ‘factions’ in the Union should just put their arguments aside and all agree to ‘unite’. The logic of this approach is that there should be no elections at all, just leaving the leadership to decide who takes what post amongst themselves (Of course, leaving out those individuals, like myself, who aren’t part of any of the various groupings presently in the Union leadership!!).
Of course, there’s no room for petty squabbles because unity is indeed strength – but unity around what action strategy? When you face a serious threat, you also need a serious debate about how best the Union can respond to it. That’s what these elections are all about – to decide who can provide the best leadership with the correct strategy to answer the attacks on our conditions and on comprehensive education.
I am standing because I believe that I can help provide that leadership - as do others who are backing me, particularly many supporters of ‘Classroom Teacher’. I think anyone who knows me, or who reads my election materials, will be clear what I stand for.
Above all, I am campaigning for schools to be funded to meet the real needs of staff and students. Schools need more teachers, not less, so as to cut teacher workload. We also need staff to provide appropriately qualified cover and support to meet the needs of all our school students. But how can we win that? - by implementing the Union policy that I have argued for and won at successive Annual Conferences, calling for national strike action to be built for and organised to win our demands.
If you agree with my policies and if, in Bill’s words, you want the Union leadership to be “responsive to the whole membership and the diversity of view within it”, then please make sure that my views are indeed represented within that leadership by electing me as NUT Vice-President.
Martin Powell-Davies
Look at the comments below for a quick reply from Bill
Thursday, 4 June 2009
A national union unites all schools and all teachers
I have been grateful for the emails and calls that have followed my recent mailing to all NUT Associations (and many thanks to the Lewisham NUT Committee for agreeing to fund the mailing).
One NUT Officer responded with a question about the funding pressures in more rural Authorities like her own. Although not said directly, I appreciate that the question might reflect, in part, an understandable concern that the Union needs to recognise the pressures in all areas - and must guard against just reflecting the outlook of NUT officers working in the larger metroplitan areas and Associations. However, far from suggesting we hold back from action, I think it is why national action is vital.
The whole funding issue is critical in every area, but with rural Authorities often being particularly badly hit. Whoever becomes the next Government, spending is likely to become even tighter if we do not act. This is why the policy of 'funding according to need' rather than a fixed and faulty national Government and/or local LMS formula is so important. Each school should be able to rely on at least the minimum funding to have a class size of 30 or less, sufficient additional teachers for PPA, Cover and Leadership time, and additional teaching and support staff to support individual children, to release staff from admin tasks - as a minimum.
My secondary school in Catford is also in the middle of a funding crisis - department Heads have had their budgets slashed and management are seeking to increase timetable loadings to solve the 'rarely cover' funding pressure. We may well need to take action at the school to defend teachers and education.
However, London is very different to many other areas in terms of roll trends. My Authority is desperately searching for extra reception classes to open in September because of a lack of places, while many Authorities nationally face the opposite problem. Nevertheless, that has still meant linking up with parents (some of whom have been occupying a school roof since Easter!) to oppose school closures (yes, even when the Authority are short of places!!). Linking up with parents in this way is a very important tactic - and with students too, as the recent pupil walkout in Barrow demonstrates.
I believe that we have to take up funding and workload (which are so closely linked) as a national campaign, backed with national action so that all areas of the union, from the strongest organised to the weakest, can have the confidence to support the action - and to appeal to parents for support for our campaign for funding that meets the needs of every child.
Martin Powell-Davies
One NUT Officer responded with a question about the funding pressures in more rural Authorities like her own. Although not said directly, I appreciate that the question might reflect, in part, an understandable concern that the Union needs to recognise the pressures in all areas - and must guard against just reflecting the outlook of NUT officers working in the larger metroplitan areas and Associations. However, far from suggesting we hold back from action, I think it is why national action is vital.
The whole funding issue is critical in every area, but with rural Authorities often being particularly badly hit. Whoever becomes the next Government, spending is likely to become even tighter if we do not act. This is why the policy of 'funding according to need' rather than a fixed and faulty national Government and/or local LMS formula is so important. Each school should be able to rely on at least the minimum funding to have a class size of 30 or less, sufficient additional teachers for PPA, Cover and Leadership time, and additional teaching and support staff to support individual children, to release staff from admin tasks - as a minimum.
My secondary school in Catford is also in the middle of a funding crisis - department Heads have had their budgets slashed and management are seeking to increase timetable loadings to solve the 'rarely cover' funding pressure. We may well need to take action at the school to defend teachers and education.
However, London is very different to many other areas in terms of roll trends. My Authority is desperately searching for extra reception classes to open in September because of a lack of places, while many Authorities nationally face the opposite problem. Nevertheless, that has still meant linking up with parents (some of whom have been occupying a school roof since Easter!) to oppose school closures (yes, even when the Authority are short of places!!). Linking up with parents in this way is a very important tactic - and with students too, as the recent pupil walkout in Barrow demonstrates.
I believe that we have to take up funding and workload (which are so closely linked) as a national campaign, backed with national action so that all areas of the union, from the strongest organised to the weakest, can have the confidence to support the action - and to appeal to parents for support for our campaign for funding that meets the needs of every child.
Martin Powell-Davies
Saturday, 30 May 2009
Prepare for a SATs boycott
The latest Lewisham NUT newsletter being sent out to all schools has the SATs boycott on its front page. It also includes articles on cover, APP, Lewisham Bridge School and fighting the plan for a 'Goldsmiths Trust'.
Have a look on the Lewisham NUT website: http://local.teachers.org.uk/lewisham
Have a look on the Lewisham NUT website: http://local.teachers.org.uk/lewisham
Thursday, 28 May 2009
No Return to the 1930's!
'Half-term' gave me a chance to sort out some of our household junk and I came across an album of photos taken by my father. The shots he had taken of Tredegar, South Wales, where he was living in the late 30's, are a real piece of missing local history. They have been posted on the town website: www.tredegar.co.uk.
Sadly, shots of 1930's poverty, unemployment and derelict factories aren't the ancient history that my father hoped they would be. Now, as then, the trade union movement has a responsibility to organise to defend our communities from the effects of recession. As teachers, we have a key role in defending not only our own working conditions, but to defend the comprehensive education system that was fought for by previous generations.
Unfortunately, the fax that I picked up from my NUT Office this morning shows that the present New Labour plans for public services are a long way from those that Nye Bevan and others fought for in Tredegar and beyond. It announced a 'consultation' on a new Trust federation linking three of our local secondary schools with Goldsmiths College - depsite the opposition of the Goldsmiths education department who have made very clear that they oppose Trusts being used to break-up accountable Local Authority schooling.
It will be yet another battle that Lewisham NUT and I will have to fight in the weeks ahead, just like campaigners in other NUT Associations around the country. As VP, I hope I can help link those local battles and strengthen our campaign to defend comprehensive education from the attacks that will come, in one form or another, from all the main political parties.
Martin
Sadly, shots of 1930's poverty, unemployment and derelict factories aren't the ancient history that my father hoped they would be. Now, as then, the trade union movement has a responsibility to organise to defend our communities from the effects of recession. As teachers, we have a key role in defending not only our own working conditions, but to defend the comprehensive education system that was fought for by previous generations.
Unfortunately, the fax that I picked up from my NUT Office this morning shows that the present New Labour plans for public services are a long way from those that Nye Bevan and others fought for in Tredegar and beyond. It announced a 'consultation' on a new Trust federation linking three of our local secondary schools with Goldsmiths College - depsite the opposition of the Goldsmiths education department who have made very clear that they oppose Trusts being used to break-up accountable Local Authority schooling.
It will be yet another battle that Lewisham NUT and I will have to fight in the weeks ahead, just like campaigners in other NUT Associations around the country. As VP, I hope I can help link those local battles and strengthen our campaign to defend comprehensive education from the attacks that will come, in one form or another, from all the main political parties.
Martin
Thursday, 21 May 2009
Who do trade unionists vote for now?
I joined a packed public gallery in Lewisham Town Hall on Wednesday May 20th to listen to the debate over the Council's proposals to demolish Lewisham Bridge School. Unfortunately, the debate exposed how, once again, the main parties in our council chamber - and many others - aren't prepared to listen to parents and trade unionists.
A rooftop protest against Lewisham's Council's plans to close Lewisham Bridge primary school and replace it with a 3-16 foundation school, has been going on since the beginning of term. After a successful march through Lewisham, last night's lobby was the next event to keep up the pressure on councillors to change their minds.
Lewisham campaigners have the advantage of being able to work with two elected Socialist Party councillors, Ian Page and Chris Flood, who had tabled a motion calling on the Council to put the plan on hold pending a full review of the plan. They pointed to Lewisham NUT's arguments that a rethink was vital in the light of evidence of sudden and unexpected pressure on primary places. After all, why knock down a perfectly good primary school when the borough is still short of primary places for this September?
To the anger of parents in the public gallery, the Labour Cabinet member dismissed campaigners as hatching an "ideological plot". Apparently parents wanting the best for their kids is 'ideological', while wanting to push through unpopular plans to turn schools into Trusts isn't! The Liberals, Tories and even the Greens also ended up voting in support of the Mayor's proposals. Nevertheless, the campaign continues, particularly as Lewisham Bridge school has now been made a 'listed' building.
The debate provided a small example of the lack of support for trade unions from most representatives of the main political parties today. Worryingly, with public anger over MPs expenses rising, some voters will be looking to the BNP in protest. Increasingly, it will not be enough to argue "Don't Vote BNP", trade unionists also need to be able to offer an alternative that people think worth voting for instead.
I believe that trade unions themselves need to start standing candidates alongside community campaigners, such as the anti-Academy candidiates that won seats in Barrow. As one step along that path, the RMT rail union and others have launched a slate of candidiates for June's European elections, under the banner of "NO2EU, Yes to democracy". I'll be voting for Bob Crow and the NO2EU slate on June 4th.
I hope that the NO2EU initiative is just a start. I will argue as VP for the NUT and other unions, such as the PCS, who are serious about fighting cuts and privatisation, to join in discussions with the RMT and others about how to best build a serious trade-union based alternative for voters at the ballot box.
Martin
A rooftop protest against Lewisham's Council's plans to close Lewisham Bridge primary school and replace it with a 3-16 foundation school, has been going on since the beginning of term. After a successful march through Lewisham, last night's lobby was the next event to keep up the pressure on councillors to change their minds.
Lewisham campaigners have the advantage of being able to work with two elected Socialist Party councillors, Ian Page and Chris Flood, who had tabled a motion calling on the Council to put the plan on hold pending a full review of the plan. They pointed to Lewisham NUT's arguments that a rethink was vital in the light of evidence of sudden and unexpected pressure on primary places. After all, why knock down a perfectly good primary school when the borough is still short of primary places for this September?
To the anger of parents in the public gallery, the Labour Cabinet member dismissed campaigners as hatching an "ideological plot". Apparently parents wanting the best for their kids is 'ideological', while wanting to push through unpopular plans to turn schools into Trusts isn't! The Liberals, Tories and even the Greens also ended up voting in support of the Mayor's proposals. Nevertheless, the campaign continues, particularly as Lewisham Bridge school has now been made a 'listed' building.
The debate provided a small example of the lack of support for trade unions from most representatives of the main political parties today. Worryingly, with public anger over MPs expenses rising, some voters will be looking to the BNP in protest. Increasingly, it will not be enough to argue "Don't Vote BNP", trade unionists also need to be able to offer an alternative that people think worth voting for instead.
I believe that trade unions themselves need to start standing candidates alongside community campaigners, such as the anti-Academy candidiates that won seats in Barrow. As one step along that path, the RMT rail union and others have launched a slate of candidiates for June's European elections, under the banner of "NO2EU, Yes to democracy". I'll be voting for Bob Crow and the NO2EU slate on June 4th.
I hope that the NO2EU initiative is just a start. I will argue as VP for the NUT and other unions, such as the PCS, who are serious about fighting cuts and privatisation, to join in discussions with the RMT and others about how to best build a serious trade-union based alternative for voters at the ballot box.
Martin
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