MINUTES OF GENERAL AND COMMITTEE MEETING 13TH MAY, 2003.

Committee meeting with 12 members present was opened.

Carlos Gonzalez of the Colombian University Workers Union, who was on a speaking tour arranged by Yorkshire and Humberside NATFHE, addressed the meeting. He described how human rights abuses threatened the existence of trades unions, and how 184 trade unionists had been assassinated in Colombia during the previous year. He described his involvement in the campaign to stop the privatisation of his university, and the general climate of privatising public institutions. It was agreed unanimously to donate Ł200 to the Colombia Solidarity Campaign for the purpose of meeting some of the cost of Carlos' visit.

Apologies:

Chris Cheetham, Dennis Farrell, Miriam Murch, Irshad Ahmed. 19 people present so inquorate as a General Meeting. Committee meeting with 12 members present was opened.

Minutes of last Meeting.

Approved.

Matters Arising:

We had held a meeting for Reps in schools in Special Measures or Serious Weaknesses, which had been useful.

Reports

Cuts and Redundancies

Increases in school budgets this year were in many cases less than needed to maintain existing staffing because of big increases in costs such as pensions transferred to schools by the Government.

This has led to teacher, and even more non-teaching staff "redundancies". All the teaching staff affected so far were covered by the no-compulsory-redundancy agreement arising from the School Reorganisation, and so would be redeployed. There would also be many fixed-term contracts that schools would seek to terminate. We were writing to members potentially affected to advise them of their rights and offer support.

In Bradford the LEA have held some money back for SERCO. Also protection for deprived areas is being removed.

A lobby of the Council and other campaigning activities were agreed on.

More Money For SERCO

The Council wants to give SERCO an increase of Ł1.7 million over and above the agreed annual amount for inflation.

This is being called in by the Education Scrutiny Committee, and looked at tomorrow.

Workload and Remodelling

Draft regulations are being prepared on a cover model which will require us to cover for 38 hours per year, whatever the length of the absence. This is to be used for long term absence and 'cover supervisors' for short term absences.

Conference passed an action strategy of cover only for first day of absence and not setting and marking work for cover assistants.

The NUT remains determined not to allow teaching assistants to teach whole classes because it will diminish the quality of education in order to save money.

NUT Conference Report

Deanne reported that he really enjoyed it and learnt a lot about the issues and the way the Union works.

Jenny Taylor, Pat Sherry, and Ian Murch spoke.

Ian reported on the proposed SATs boycott. It was agreed to organise some campaigning activities during the second half of the summer term in preparation for the anticipated ballot for a boycott in the Autumn.

Rise of BNP

- fortunately nobody elected in Bradford, but poses a lot of questions for teachers. BNP voting highest in relatively affluent white suburbs. Ian, Jane and Jill went to an Anti-Racist Education Conference in Blackburn on 1/5. About 200 people were there - very interesting.

It was agreed that Bradford NUT would be willing to host one next year, preferably in conjunction with other West Yorks Associations..

Issues to go to next Eq. Ops. Meeting on 10th June.