NASUWT “disappointed” that Education Secretary “resorted to provocation”
In response to the letter from the Secretary of State for Education published on 6 November 2013, the two largest teachers’ unions, the NASUWT and the NUT, representing nine out of ten teachers, are today reaffirming their commitment to a jointly coordinated campaign to Protect Teachers and Defend Education.
Following the overwhelming support for strike action across England on 27 June and 1 and 17 October, the NUT and NASUWT welcomed confirmation of the willingness of the Secretary of State to seek to secure a programme of talks on the unions’ trade disputes on teachers’ pay, pensions, workload, conditions of service and jobs.
In response to the indication of the Secretary of State’s willingness to engage in talks, the NASUWT and NUT agreed to:
· suspend the planned national day of strike action which was scheduled to take place in the Autumn 2013 term;
· engage constructively in an agreed programme of talks with the Secretary of State to discuss the unions’ trade disputes;
· seek progress in the talks with the Secretary of State;
· review progress of the talks by January 2014.
The NUT and the NASUWT are, therefore, disappointed that the Secretary of State, rather than seeking genuinely to engage in talks to seek to resolve our disputes has, in his letter of 6 November, resorted to provocation. The NASUWT and the NUT have issued today a further joint letter highlighting to the Secretary of State the importance of committing to genuine talks to seek resolution of the trade disputes.
The Secretary of State has also been reminded that in accordance with Section 244(2) of the Trade Union Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992, these trade disputes are only capable of resolution by agreement between the Secretary of State as a Minister of the Crown and the NASUWT and the NUT.
The NUT and NASUWT confirm that plans remain in place for a national strike in England and Wales no later than 13 February 2014 in the event of insufficient progress through negotiation.
ENDS
Lena Davies
Press and Media Officer
NASUWT
0121 457 6250 / 07867 392746
lena.davies@mail.nasuwt.org.uk
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