March 1999 - Newsletter No.2

Reorganisation

Placement Procedure Could Leave Many Casualties

We have continued to make strenuous efforts to get more posts created, and to get more of them to be promoted ones, and to some degree we have succeeded. Nevertheless there are not enough posts in the placement procedure to get everyone placed at their own level, or even to get everyone placed at all.

Only 969 posts have been created. 1046 people on permanent contracts need to be placed. There is the money in the system for 2000 and 2001 to create many more posts than this, but a combination of garbled messages from the LEA and excessive caution from some schools has led to this shortfall. We are continuing to try to address this.

The "asterisk" procedure - the idea of the teacher unions - has resulted in significantly more promoted posts than were originally planned, but there is still quite a large shortfall at 2 and at 3 Responsibility Points. The LEA say that they are willing to have another stab at this, but do not want to do so now until after the first round of the placement process.

Early retirement options will be looked at only after all of the placement forms have been received, and it is possible to form a picture of circumstances in which teachers are not likely to be placed.

We met with the LEA on Wednesday 10^th March to take up concerns raised with us by members following the receipt in schools of the vacancies. From this, we can report:

• The LEA is considering our request for a half day of school closure to allow forms to be completed
• We are meeting inspectors on March 11^th to raise the issue of inappropriate "Essential" items being allowed to remain in job specifications even after we had already raised the problem. Though some schools have altered their requirements, others are still asking for a degree in the subject to be taught as an essential, or listing unreasonably specific and extensive specialisms for primary posts
• We have raised the issue of the three new secondary schools all advertising for promoted posts at unusual levels (e.g. 2 points for head of DT or MFL), levels which exclude the staff of the only closing Upper School from applying
• If we do manage to get any job specs amended, a new list will be issued and more time for completing forms may be allowed

We will do our best to deal with any specific queries you raise with us. Please be patient if you get an engaged tone or the answering machine from the Office. We are almost certain to be dealing with someone else with a Reorganisation-related problem.

Reorganisation
Will It Happen This Year?

Black Teachers Conference

Saturday 22^nd/Sunday 23^rd May
Stoke Rochford Hall
Grantham

This is the NUT's Annual Conference for black members. It's theme this year is `Breaking Through The Steroetypes.' If you would be interested in representing the Bradford Association, please get in touch.

A New General Secretary?

Christine Blower, the candidate supported by Bradford NUT in the forthcoming Elections for the NUT's General Secretary already has the support of more than 50 branches of the Union, and seems set to secure more nominations than Doug McAvoy. Christine, who will campaign strongly against the Government's Performance Related Pay Proposals, has recently written to all local secretaries refuting a ludicrous letter from the present General Secretary who is so desperate that he accuses her of being revolutionary, extremist, under the control of Militant Tendency etc..Christine, last year's President of the NUT, has spoken in Bradford twice, and many of us have met her at Conference. We have every confidence in her and are backing her campaign.