National Union of Teachers
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The National Union of Teachers (NUT) is a trade union for school teachers in England and Wales. It is a member of the Trades Union Congress. The Union only recruits qualified teachers and those training to be qualified teachers into membership and currently has over 292,000 members, making it the largest teachers' union in the United Kingdom and Europe.
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[edit] History
The NUT was established at a meeting at King's College London on 25 June 1870 as the National Union of Elementary Teachers (NUET) to represent all school teachers in England and Wales[1]. After toying with the idea of changing the name to the National Union of English Teachers the name National Union of Teachers (NUT) was finally adopted at Annual Conference in April 1889.
In 1919, in response to an NUT referendum approving the principle of equal pay, a ginger group the National Association of Men Teachers (NAMT) was formed within the NUT to further the interests of male teacher[2]. The NAMT changed its name in 1920 to the National Association of Schoolmasters (NAS) and seceded finally from the NUT in 1922. The secession came about indirectly following a decision at the NAS Conference that year to prohibit NAS members from continuing to also be members of the NUT after the 31 December 1922[3]. The NAS is now part of the NASUWT, the largest teaching union in the UK.
The NUT first established its offices at 7 Adam Street, Adelphi, London WC on the appointment of the first full-time Secretary in 1873. In 1889 it moved its headquarters to Bolton House, 67/71 Russell Square, London WC. In 1915, headquarters were moved to Hamilton House, Mabledon Place, London WC1, where they have remained ever since[4].
[edit] Key Policies and Campaigns
Fair Pay For Teachers
The Government in limiting teachers’ pay increases for 2008-2011 to levels which do not match the rate of inflation has meant real terms pay cuts for teachers. The NUT is seeking to reverse year on year pay cuts through the use of industrial action if necessary.
Workload Campaign
The NUT has campaigned over many years to establish effective limits to teachers’ workload and working time. The aim of the campaign is to reduce working hours, remove excessive workload and achieve a better work/life balance for teachers generally.
Campaign Against Academies
The NUT is campaigning for the Academies programme to be halted and that existing Academies should be re-integrated within their local authorities’ community of schools. The NUT believes that the Academies programme has not been proven to be successful for pupils in Academies nor has it been independently evaluated for its impact on other local schools.
The Abolition of National Curriculum Tests (SATs)
The NUT would like to see the end of the current testing and assessment regime which is called National Curriculum Tests (SATs). It believes testing should be about learning, not about constructing what they perceive as misleading and unfair school league tables.
Professional Unity
The NUT seeks to work with the other teachers' organisations for the purpose of creating a single teachers organisation to form one union for all teachers.
[edit] General Secretaries of the NUT
- Christine Blower, 2008 Acting April 2008 until elected in May 2009 - present
- Steve Sinnott, 2004-2008 (died in office)
- Doug McAvoy, 1989-2004
- Fred Jarvis, 1975-1989
- Ronald Gould
[edit] See also
- National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers
- Association of Teachers and Lecturers
- Education in the United Kingdom
[edit] References
- ^ Tropp, A (1957). The School Teachers. London: Heinmemann.
- ^ Simons, RA (1972). The Schoolmasters: The History of the NAS and of Education in its Time. London: NASUWT.
- ^ Tropp, A (1957). The School Teachers: the growth of the teaching profession in England and Wales from 1800 to the present day. London: Heinemann.
- ^ An Interim Catalogue of the Papers of the National Union of Teachers
