National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers
Encyclopedia
The NASUWT is a trade union representing teachers, including headteachers, throughout the United Kingdom
.
The NASUWT is the only UK-wide teachers' union affiliated to the TUC
. The union organises in all sectors from early years to further education and represents teachers in all roles including heads and deputies. The NASUWT is independent of any political party, and works to influence educational policy on behalf of its members with national government and the devolved assemblies in Scotland
, Wales and Northern Ireland
.
(NUT) to promote the interests of male teachers. The group existed alongside others within the NUT such as the National Federation of Class Teachers, the National Association of Head Teachers and the National Federation of Women Teachers (later to become the National Union of Women Teachers
).
The formation of the NAMT was in response to an NUT referendum the same year, approving the principle of equal pay. This major change in salary policy had been achieved whilst many male teachers were away serving in the army during the First World War.
A subsequent three year campaign by the NAMT to further the interests of male teachers in the NUT saw its name changed in 1920 to the National Association of Schoolmasters (NAS) and finally resulted in secession of the NAS 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 31 December 1922.
The NAS aimed to recruit every schoolmaster into the NAS, to safeguard and promote the interests of male teachers, to ensure recognition of the social and economic responsibilities of male teachers, and to ensure the representation of schoolmasters on matters concerned with education with both the Local Education Authorities (LEAs) and Government. The NAS also maintained that all boys over the age of seven should be taught mainly by men and that schoolmasters should not serve under women heads.
As the secondary education sector expanded, the NAS built its organisation among male secondary teachers, it adopted the methods of collective bargaining
and militant industrial action in pursuing a narrow range of pay and conditions issues related to the interests of full time male 'career teachers'.. The union secured a place on the Burnham Committee to negotiate teachers' salaries in 1961, following a series of strikes and rallies. In 1976, the NAS merged with the Union of Women Teachers
(UWT) largely as a consequence of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975
, which made it unlawful to exclude from membership on grounds of gender, and became the National Association of Schoolmasters/Union of Women Teachers (NAS/UWT). In recent years, the oblique has been dropped from the name.
The NAS/UWT took part in long-running industrial action between 1984 and 1986, in support of a pay claim and the retention of the Burnham committe. Both the NAS/UWT and NUT lost members to the less militant Professional Association of Teachers
and Assistant Masters and Mistresses Association
..
chose not to participate in social partnership. The NASUWT argues that social partnership brought about benefits to teachers' terms and conditions through the "National Agreement – Raising Standards, Tackling Workload", especially the introduction of defined planning and assessment time for all teachers.
Social partnership was confined to the Labour government, and did not continue after the establishment of the Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition in 2010.
proposed by the General Teaching Council
, a campaign recognising the effects of cyberbullying, a campaign to preserve the anonymity of teachers from malicious or false allegations, and a campaign to bar members of the British National Party
from the teaching profession.
in Birmingham
, with the General Secretary's office in Covent Garden
, London
. The union has Nine other offices in England, and a single office in each of Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
The NASUWT is the only UK-wide teachers' union affiliated to the TUC
Trades Union Congress
The Trades Union Congress is a national trade union centre, a federation of trade unions in the United Kingdom, representing the majority of trade unions...
. The union organises in all sectors from early years to further education and represents teachers in all roles including heads and deputies. The NASUWT is independent of any political party, and works to influence educational policy on behalf of its members with national government and the devolved assemblies in Scotland
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
, Wales and Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland Assembly
The Northern Ireland Assembly is the devolved legislature of Northern Ireland. It has power to legislate in a wide range of areas that are not explicitly reserved to the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and to appoint the Northern Ireland Executive...
.
History
The origins of the NASUWT can be traced back to the formation of the National Association of Men Teachers (NAMT) in 1919. The Association was formed as a group within the National Union of TeachersNational Union of Teachers
The National Union of Teachers is a trade union for school teachers in England, Wales, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. It is a member of the Trades Union Congress...
(NUT) to promote the interests of male teachers. The group existed alongside others within the NUT such as the National Federation of Class Teachers, the National Association of Head Teachers and the National Federation of Women Teachers (later to become the National Union of Women Teachers
National Union of Women Teachers
Founded in 1904 as the Equal Pay League, part of the National Union of Teachers, in 1906 this United Kingdom organisation was re-named the National Federation of Women Teachers. In 1920, it broke away to form an independent trade union, the National Union of Women Teachers...
).
The formation of the NAMT was in response to an NUT referendum the same year, approving the principle of equal pay. This major change in salary policy had been achieved whilst many male teachers were away serving in the army during the First World War.
A subsequent three year campaign by the NAMT to further the interests of male teachers in the NUT saw its name changed in 1920 to the National Association of Schoolmasters (NAS) and finally resulted in secession of the NAS 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 31 December 1922.
The NAS aimed to recruit every schoolmaster into the NAS, to safeguard and promote the interests of male teachers, to ensure recognition of the social and economic responsibilities of male teachers, and to ensure the representation of schoolmasters on matters concerned with education with both the Local Education Authorities (LEAs) and Government. The NAS also maintained that all boys over the age of seven should be taught mainly by men and that schoolmasters should not serve under women heads.
As the secondary education sector expanded, the NAS built its organisation among male secondary teachers, it adopted the methods of collective bargaining
Collective bargaining
Collective bargaining is a process of negotiations between employers and the representatives of a unit of employees aimed at reaching agreements that regulate working conditions...
and militant industrial action in pursuing a narrow range of pay and conditions issues related to the interests of full time male 'career teachers'.. The union secured a place on the Burnham Committee to negotiate teachers' salaries in 1961, following a series of strikes and rallies. In 1976, the NAS merged with the Union of Women Teachers
Union of Women Teachers
The Union of Women Teachers was a trade union for female teachers in the United Kingdom. It was founded in 1909 by the merger of the Women Teachers' Franchise Union with the London Mistresses Association...
(UWT) largely as a consequence of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975
Sex Discrimination Act 1975
The Sex Discrimination Act 1975 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which protected men and women from discrimination on the grounds of sex or marriage. The Act concerned employment, training, education, harassment, the provision of goods and services, and the disposal of premises...
, which made it unlawful to exclude from membership on grounds of gender, and became the National Association of Schoolmasters/Union of Women Teachers (NAS/UWT). In recent years, the oblique has been dropped from the name.
The NAS/UWT took part in long-running industrial action between 1984 and 1986, in support of a pay claim and the retention of the Burnham committe. Both the NAS/UWT and NUT lost members to the less militant Professional Association of Teachers
Professional Association of Teachers
Voice 'The union for education professionals' is an independent British Trade Union for teachers, lecturers and other education and childcare workers in British education...
and Assistant Masters and Mistresses Association
Association of Teachers and Lecturers
The Association of Teachers and Lecturers is a trade union, teachers' union and professional association, affiliated to the Trades Union Congress, in the United Kingdom representing educators from nursery and primary education to further education...
..
Modern structure
NASUWT policy is determined by its annual conference, to which delegates are elected from over 300 local associations. Members also elect the National Executive Committee. This committee, together with the General Secretary and other elected officials, determine the day-to-day business of the union.Social partnership
From 2003 to 2010 the NASUWT was involved in social partnership - an ongoing programme of meetings between union leaders, the Labour government, employers' organisations, and the majority of other education unions. The National Union of TeachersNational Union of Teachers
The National Union of Teachers is a trade union for school teachers in England, Wales, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. It is a member of the Trades Union Congress...
chose not to participate in social partnership. The NASUWT argues that social partnership brought about benefits to teachers' terms and conditions through the "National Agreement – Raising Standards, Tackling Workload", especially the introduction of defined planning and assessment time for all teachers.
Social partnership was confined to the Labour government, and did not continue after the establishment of the Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition in 2010.
NASUWT campaigns
The NASUWT has initiated a number of influential campaigns in recent years, including a campaign leading to the abolition of a code of conductCode of Conduct
A code of conduct is a set of rules outlining the responsibilities of or proper practices for an individual, party or organization. Related concepts include ethical codes and honor codes....
proposed by the General Teaching Council
General Teaching Council
There are 4 General Teaching Councils within the United Kingdom:* General Teaching Council for England* General Teaching Council for Scotland* *...
, a campaign recognising the effects of cyberbullying, a campaign to preserve the anonymity of teachers from malicious or false allegations, and a campaign to bar members of the British National Party
British National Party
The British National Party is a British far-right political party formed as a splinter group from the National Front by John Tyndall in 1982...
from the teaching profession.
Location
The NASUWT headquarters is at RednalRednal
Rednal is a residential suburb on the south western edge of metropolitan Birmingham, West Midlands, England, 9 miles south west of Birmingham city centre and forming part of Longbridge parish and electoral ward....
in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, with the General Secretary's office in Covent Garden
Covent Garden
Covent Garden is a district in London on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St. Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit and vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist site, and the Royal Opera House, which is also known as...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. The union has Nine other offices in England, and a single office in each of Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland.
NAS/UWT
- 1975: Terry Casey
- 1983: Fred Smithies
- 1990: Nigel de GruchyNigel de Gruchy-Early life:He was born in Jersey to Robert de Gruchy and Dorothy Cullinane.He studied at the catholic De La Salle College followed by the University of Reading where he gained a BA in Economics and Philosophy in 1965. He attended the University of Paris during May 1968 to gain a Certificate...
- 2002: Eamon O'Kane
- 2004: Chris Keates
See also
- National Union of TeachersNational Union of TeachersThe National Union of Teachers is a trade union for school teachers in England, Wales, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. It is a member of the Trades Union Congress...
- Educational Institute of ScotlandEducational Institute of ScotlandThe Educational Institute of Scotland is the oldest teachers' trade union in the world, having been founded in 1847 when dominies became concerned about the effect of changes to the system of education in Scotland on their professional status....
- Education in the United KingdomEducation in the United KingdomEducation in the United Kingdom is a devolved matter with each of the countries of the United Kingdom having separate systems under separate governments: the UK Government is responsible for England, and the Scottish Government, the Welsh Government and the Northern Ireland Executive are...