Bridget Phillipson has met with unions to discuss a “new model” for government to work in “partnership” with the schools sector.
In an approach reminiscent of the “social partnership” pursued by the Blair government in the 2000s, unions and employers could be asked to contribute their perspectives to emerging policy at an “early stage”.
The education secretary today met with leaders of the National Education Union, NASUWT, ASCL, NAHT, Community, GMB, Unison, Unite and UCU.
It is the latest in a series of moves aimed at “resetting” a relationship that had become incredibly strained after 14 years of Conservative government.
Unions had grown increasingly frustrated that they were informed about key government decisions once they had been made, rather than being able to give their view during the development stage.
The Department for Education said today’s meeting was the “first stage in developing a new model for partnership working with core education stakeholders in the school and college space, by contributing staff and employer perspectives to emerging policy at an early stage”.
Phillipson will also shortly meet with the Confederation of School Trusts, Local Government Association and college groups “who we hope will provide important input from school and college employers into new partnership arrangements”.
“We will confirm full and final membership, terms of reference and ways of working for the group in due course. We anticipate the partnership, once formed, will convene unions and employer organisations in a single body.”
Model ‘won’t replace pay setting process’
They also want the new arrangements to “provide a model for other education sectors in the future, building on existing arrangements and learning from the approach piloted by the school and college partnership”.
But they will “not replace existing formal processes on pay setting in schools and colleges”.
Phillipson said: “From day one in government we began our reset of relations with our workforces, and today I met with leading figures in the school and college sector to discuss a new model for improving how government works in partnership with the sector to deliver change.
“Only by working together can we achieve what parents, families and workers are crying out for – high and rising standards that sever the link between children’s background and where they get to in life.”
Daniel Kebede, leader of the National Education Union, said it was “positive that the secretary of state is engaging with unions on arrangements for future dialogue.
“Decisions on education policy fundamentally always lie with the secretary of state. Future discussions on social dialogue are something I am committed to.”
‘A genuine desire to work with the profession’
Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the NAHT school leaders’ union, said the new government “has demonstrated a genuine desire to work with the profession since taking office”.
“Its approach to the STRB recommendations and inspection singe phrase judgments demonstrate this. Today’s meeting with the unions to discuss how to operate a long term partnership was very welcome.”
The social partnership of the 2000s was not without its difficulties. Some unions did not directly participate, and relationships frayed towards the end of Labour’s last tenure in government.
Whiteman said he was “not going to get too hung up on what the words used to describe the architecture of partnership are”.
“We just need to create the right modern modes of engagement to make progress on issues that have been left to deteriorate for so long.”
‘Repair the damage’
NASUWT leader Dr Patrick Roach said the government had “promised to reset the relationship with the education workforce and to restore trust”.
“The NASUWT looks forward to building on our early dialogue with the new government and working together to repair the damage done over the last 14 years.”
And ASCL director of policy Julie McCulloch welcomed the government’s “commitment to working in partnership with the education sector”.
“Improving pupil outcomes, closing attainment gaps and dealing with educational challenges, including the current recruitment and retention crisis, can only be achieved through a collaborative process involving the expertise and insight of the education workforce.
“Today’s meeting was an important first step in establishing that approach.”
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