Members of the NASUWT teaching union are seeking a public dismissal of calls for a merger with other unions, following a renewed push by the National Education Union for amalgamation.
An urgent motion, due to be debated at the union’s conference in Liverpool this afternoon, will call on its ruling executive to “reiterate publicly that there is no desire by NASUWT to consider any union amalgamation or merger”.
It would also instruct the executive to “report all attempts of poaching members and infiltrating of our lay structures” to the Trades Union Congress and other bodies.
Speaking to Schools Week earlier today, outgoing NASUWT general secretary Dr Patrick Roach said he did not “detect” an appetite for a merger among members. “But it’s nice to be wooed,” he added.
At its own conference in Harrogate earlier this week, the NEU ordered its executive to “redouble its efforts to seek further amalgamations with the aim of creating one union for education workers.
“This to include initiating meetings, on or off the record, with individual education unions.”
And Daniel Kebede, the NEU’s general secretary, told the conference yesterday he wanted to see it become a “union of a million members”.
NEU ally lined up to lead NASUWT
Talk of a potential merger re-emerged recently about the NASUWT’s executive surprisingly announced that Matt Wrack, the former leader of the Fire Brigades Union, was its preferred candidate for general secretary.
If no member gets the required 25 branch nominations to challenge him, Wrack will be elected unopposed this month.
A left-winger and close ally of Kebede, Wrack lost his role at the FBU after 20 years in January following a successful challenge from the right of his union.
The urgent motion to NASUWT’s conference, tabled by executive member Alison Morgan, states that “conference applauds the NASUWT for being the voice of the teaching profession and for providing bespoke and dedicated representation for our profession.
“Conference notes that NASUWT is a member-led union, we listen when teachers tell us what they need to succeed and we open up spaces for members to decide the direction of their union.”
The motion also states that NASUWT “only represents teachers, we speak with the undiluted voice of the teaching profession to the people, organisations and governments who make the difference to teachers’ working lives.
NASUWT ‘prefers solutions-focused approaches’
“Conference further notes that NASUWT prefers solution-focused approaches and negotiates positive change so teachers thrive throughout their careers and the profession is recognised for its contribution to society.
“However we will protect members’ best interests and take industrial action when appropriate and necessary.”
The motion goes on to note that “other unions are advocating for a merger”. The NEU is not mentioned by name, but is the only other education union to have declared publicly it is seeking a merger.
“Conference firmly believes NASUWT is the union for every teacher, in every workplace at every stage in their career.”
If passed, the motion would instruct the national executivce to continue to promote NASUWT “as the only UK-wide union that speaks with the undiluted voice of teachers alone”, and to “continue to work jointly with other trade unions when it is appropriate for and in the best interests of NASUWT”.
It would also instruct the leadership to “report all attempts of poaching members and infiltrating of our lay structures” to the Trades Union Congress and “reiterate publicly that there is no desire by NASUWT to consider any union amalgamation or merger”.
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