PROPOSALS for the creation of a new super union for the profession are to be thrown open to the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers for discussion.
A paper written by Eamonn O’Kane, general secretary designate, is to be circulated among its 186,000 members with the backing of the union’s national executive. Mr O’Kane is an enthusiast for the move towards unity, which has the support of Doug McAvoy, general secretary of the National Union of Teachers.
And the question of a possible merger with the other TUC-affiliated teacher unions, the NUT and the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, follows increasing co-operation between them.
Historic joint resolutions on workload were put to the TUC Congress in September 2000 and the three unions’ conferences last Easter.
“The importance of these resolutions must not be ignored or minimised,” says Mr O’Kane.
“They reflect a common position of all three unions on the critical question of teachers’ pay, salary structure and conditions of service.
“Can it be seriously argued that one union, on its own, is not more likely to achieve these objectives than all three united around the common approach?” But there are serious reservations among many members about the proposal and Mr O’Kane‘s paper prompted long debate at his union’s national executive meeting.
Mr O’Kane said circulating the 13-page paper would “lead to a well-grounded decision on how the NASUWT can best adapt to the changing circumstances in which teachers will find themselves in the coming years”.
He cautions, though, against the “very serious consequences” of recruiting support staff.
