July 2001 - Newsletter

EPP Election Don't Forget! Vote Jane Rendle

Please don’t forget to post your vote for the Bradford Education Policy Partnership elections. The ballot paper should have arrived at your home last Tuesday and has to be received back by next Friday 13th.

Jane Rendle is the candidate supported by the NUT.

The EPP effectively replaces the old Council Education Committee. It will set education policy for Bradford, deal with Serco (the company running Bradford's services from September) and be the main channel for raising the concerns of teachers.

There is only one teacher on it, and it is important that it is someone who is experienced, accountable and committed. Those of you who have dealt with Jane through her support for members over School Reorganisation, Primary workload and the Threshold, among many other things, will know that she is all of these things.

Unfinished Business

The Bradford NUT Office will be open from 10am to 1pm on Monday 23rd and Tuesday 24th July. It will then be closed until 3rd September, although the answer phone will be checked at intervals over the summer, and the Regional Office will remain open.

You may have outstanding issues, possibly because you are supernumerary, or transferring to Serco, or had problems with the threshold. If so please contact us in time for us to deal with it before we close.

Democracy in the NUT

The Union is setting up a Working Party to review its democratic procedures, particularly those relating to its Annual Conference. It is Conference which decides on the Union’s policies and makes its rules, so this is an important body.

Bradford NUT nominated Tim Hales for the Working Party. Tim has been the Leeds NUT Secretary for the last 10 years. Bradford’s Officers know Tim well and have a high regard for his abilities and his belief in democracy. Please consider voting for him.

In a move which indicates what sort of democracy we might get if we are not vigilant, the ballot papers for the election are being sent out in the summer holidays.

Tim Hales
For the Conference Working Party

Moving Furniture and Equipment

At the end of this term and the beginning of next many schools will need to move furniture and equipment between rooms and between buildings. In most cases the school will need to employ removers to assist the caretaking staff with the move.
It is essential that

the school has sufficient closure days to facilitate the move
teachers are not required to carry furniture or equipment
teachers are not required to work outside the school day

You may be asked to pack boxes ready for the move, but as part of this process you cannot be required to lift anything heavier than the loads which you would normally expect to carry during a school day, taking into account any condition you may have which makes lifting and carrying particularly difficult.
Remember - furniture and equipment removal are not part of a teacher’s job.

New Mileage Rates

New mileage rates for journeys on school business came into effect on April 1st this year. More and more such journeys are being made as teachers travel between split sites, travel back to school for parents’ evenings, visit pupils on work experience, etc. Teachers are entitled to claim for this mileage and the claim forms should be available from your school office. If you have any difficulty in claiming contact this office.
The new rates, based on engine size, are as follows:

Up to 999 cc	35.8p per mile
1000 to 1199 cc	39.9p per mile
1200 plus cc	49.1p per mile

Diaries

Ring the office to order your NUT academic year pocket diary in flashy silver, or elegant grey if you prefer, only Ł2.50.

Threshold Application

If you are now on Point 8 or 9 of the Main Pay Scale (based on qualifications and experience), you can apply to cross the Threshold in the next round, closing date October 29th 2001.

If you are now on 9 points, any threshold payment would be backdated to 1/9/01. If you are now on 8 points, it would start from 1/9/02.