Latest news with #NASUWT
BBC News
12 hours ago
- Business
- BBC News
Economist suggests merging Jersey and Guernsey public services
Guernsey and Jersey's public services should consider working together to save money, an economist has Brock, principal advisor at research firm Islefact, said it costs about £2bn to run the Channel Islands each Brock said, given the combined running costs of the islands public sectors, work was needed to "improve the relationship and perhaps have a combined public service".Pan-Island Commissioner for Standards Dr Melissa McCullough said any collaboration would need "equal partnership". 'Pressures are growing' Mr Brock cited healthcare, education and general administration as three areas where the islands could work together more closely. "One of the things I focus on is where best practice is being applied in other islands around the world," he said."In the past, the Channel Islands in particular had been immune to external pressures - those external pressures are growing daily... there's a problem every week or every month at the moment. "With an ageing population demographic, artificial intelligence, all of the issues that are relevant in both islands, I think it's a perfect opportunity to try and say, 'Right, well where can savings be made?'." About 30% of the £2bn was spent on healthcare, while another 20% was spent on general administration, said Mr terms of education, he said there was a labour shortage across both islands and a pan-island plan should be considered."There are many islands which have got one administration over several islands... that could be applied in Jersey and Guernsey," he said. Wayne Bates, a national negotiator for teacher's union NASUWT, said co-operation between schools was a "good thing".He said any changes to improve education, performance and outcomes for pupils would have a "beneficial impact on the economies of both islands".Dr McCullough, who works for the islands to investigate breaches into their codes of conduct, said a collaboration would need an "equal partnership", regardless of the size of the island."It's about better service delivery, it's not necessarily about conforming to one sort of model," she said."Anybody who is looking to share services... has to be clear about mutual respect."Each island has an equal say."
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Hard-Left firebrand elected head of major teaching union despite having never been a teacher - after just 4.7% of members take part in vote
A hard-Left firebrand has been elected to lead a major teaching union, despite having never worked as teacher. Matt Wrack was voted in as the general secretary of the NASUWT teaching union after a controversial election which saw legal action taken to prevent his appointment. Mr Wrack is a former firefighter who spent 20 years as leader of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) until earlier this year and has never worked as a teacher. The NASUWT leadership tried to install him as the successor to outgoing general secretary Pat Roach earlier this year, but it was forced to hold a vote after members objected. However, the scale of the vote suggests deep dissatisfaction with the process and raises questions about his legitimacy. Turnout for the election, the first contested vote for a new leader since 1990, was just 4.7 per cent. Mr Wrack secured 5,249 votes to beat Neil Butler, NASUWT's national officer for Wales, who received 3,126 votes. The union's president, Wayne Broom, insisted the result 'reflects (members) confidence' In Wrack, despite just 2.9 per cent of them backing him. Mr Wrack secured 5,249 votes to beat Neil Butler, NASUWT's national officer for Wales, who received 3,126 votes. Mr Wrack was announced as union leader in April after he was endorsed by the national executive to replace Patrick Roach. However, Mr Butler took legal action against the union after its national executive committee told him he was not eligible to stand for the position as a non-member. Mr Butler and Luke Lockyer, the union's president in Wales, sought 'injunctive relief' to force the union to reopen nominations. NASUWT reached an agreement to head off High Court legal action over the ballot, and the union agreed to pay £65,000 of Mr Butler and Mr Lockyer's costs and VAT. NASUWT announced in June that the leadership election would go ahead after Mr Wrack and Mr Butler both met the threshold of being nominated either by the NASUWT national executive or by a minimum of 25 local associations. Mr Wrack said: 'I am immensely honoured to be elected general secretary of NASUWT. 'I want to thank every member who participated in this election for placing their trust in me. 'NASUWT is a proud and powerful voice for teachers, and together we will make that voice even stronger. 'I pay tribute to Dr Patrick Roach for his years of service and to Neil Butler for a spirited campaign that highlighted the issues our members care about. 'Now, our priority is unity and action. 'Teachers have endured years of underinvestment, overwork, and undervaluing of our profession. 'We urgently need Government to invest in education – that means fair pay, manageable workloads, and safe, respectful working environments for staff and students. 'I will work tirelessly with our executive and activists across all nations to secure the conditions and respect teachers deserve. 'This is a critical moment for education, and NASUWT will lead the way in fighting for our members' rights.' Mr Broom said: 'We congratulate Matt on his election as general secretary of NASUWT. 'This election engaged our members up and down the country, and the result reflects their confidence in his leadership. 'Matt will play a vital role in the next chapter of the union's work on behalf of teachers across the UK. 'The national executive and I look forward to working closely with him as we continue our mission to put teachers first. 'We also want to thank Neil Butler for standing in this election and for his ongoing service to NASUWT – his dedication exemplifies the strength of this union's democracy.'
Telegraph
a day ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
Former fireman elected head of teaching union – without ever working in schools
A former fireman has been elected as the head of the teaching union despite never having worked in schools. Matt Wrack secured the role of permanent general secretary of the National Association of Schoolmasters and Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT) after a ballot in which less than 5 per cent of eligible members voted. The hard-left former head of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) beat his rival Neil Butler, the NASUWT's national officer for Wales, by 5,249 votes to 3,126. The union had originally announced that the 63-year-old had been elected unopposed in April but the appointment was put to a ballot after Mr Butler launched a legal challenge. The vote for a successor to Patrick Roach, who stepped down in April, was the union's first contested leadership election since 1990. 'Immensely honoured' Mr Wrack, who led the FBU for 20 years, said he was 'immensely honoured' and wished to thank those who had placed their trust in him. He said: 'NASUWT is a proud and powerful voice for teachers, and together we will make that voice even stronger. Now, our priority is unity and action. 'Teachers have endured years of underinvestment, overwork, and undervaluing of our profession. We urgently need the Government to invest in education – that means fair pay, manageable workloads, and safe, respectful working environments for staff and students. 'I will work tirelessly with our executive and activists across all nations to secure the conditions and respect teachers deserve. This is a critical moment for education, and NASUWT will lead the way in fighting for our members' rights.' His challenger had initially been blocked from standing because he was not a union member at the time of the nomination. Alongside Luke Lockyer, president of the Welsh NASUWT, Mr Butler sought injunctive relief to force a full election, with the union later agreeing to reopen nominations and pay £65,000 towards his legal fees and VAT to avoid a High Court battle. The union announced in June that the leadership election would go ahead after both candidates met the threshold of being nominated either by the NASUWT national executive or by a minimum of 25 local associations. Mr Wrack, an ally of Jeremy Corbyn, has previously been accused of seeking to downplay allegations of antisemitism which undermined the Islington North MP's tenure as leader. At the FBU conference in Blackpool in 2016, he said: 'The so-called furore about so-called anti-Semitism in the Labour Party is, in reality not at all about anti-Semitism; it is about an attack on the left, and it is about an attempt to undermine Jeremy Corbyn.' A report by the Equality and Human Rights Commission later identified failings within the party that 'at best did not do enough to prevent antisemitism, and at worst could be seen to accept it'. The FBU voted to re-affiliate with the Labour party under Mr Wrack. Wayne Broom, the union's national president, congratulated Mr Wrack on his election, adding: 'This election engaged our members up and down the country, and the result reflects their confidence in his leadership. 'Matt will play a vital role in the next chapter of the union's work on behalf of teachers across the UK. The national executive and I look forward to working closely with him as we continue our mission to put teachers first. 'We also want to thank Neil Butler for standing in this election and for his ongoing service to NASUWT – his dedication exemplifies the strength of this union's democracy.' Just 4.7 per cent of the NASUWT's 178,306 eligible members took part in the vote. No history of working in education This is the first time someone with no history of working in education has been appointed to the job. A teacher, who wished to remain anonymous, previously told The Telegraph that putting Mr Wrack forward was 'a bonkers decision', adding, 'given his age, it is entirely plausible that the last time Matt Wrack was in a school was over 40 years ago'. One long-term minister who served under both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown previously told this newspaper that there had been a 'mixture of conspiracy and incompetence at play' in the wake of Mr Wrack losing out to Steve Wright in the FBU vote earlier this year. 'Matt had lost his election [at the FBU]. It was a very contentious election and he was from the ultra-Left, with a strong affiliation with Labour, and someone wanted him in the role,' they said. Mr Wrack has been approached for comment.
Scotsman
2 days ago
- Scotsman
Teachers face soaring levels of abuse and sexist comments
Sign up to our Politics newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The number of incidents of "abusive or sexist" comments made towards teachers in Edinburgh has risen dramatically over recent years. Figures show there were 22 such incidents recorded in 2020/21, but this increased more than fivefold to 142 in 2024/25. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The council said identifying a single cause was difficult, but pointed to "complex societal factors" which may be contributing to the problem. Trade union leaders called on ministers and employers to take greater action. A teacher and students in a classroom | PA Mike Corbett, NASUWT's national official for Scotland, said: 'Our research has found that sexual harassment and sexism towards both female teachers and pupils in schools is commonplace and that the majority of incidents fail to be reported or dealt with effectively. 'Racist, misogynistic and anti-immigrant rhetoric is also trickling into schools, fuelled by social media, and leading to incidents of harassment, threats and violence towards staff. 'We are calling for ministers and employers to take greater action, especially around social media, to support schools in tackling the scourge of racist, misogynist and gender-based abuse directed at teachers, much of which also affects pupils. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'In the case of sexist abuse, this should include explicitly teaching pupils about misogyny and misogynistic attitudes and improving reporting procedures in schools to include incidents of sexual harassment and abuse. 'We believe pupils should be educated about the dangers of hate speech from primary school onwards in order to challenge the spread of prejudice-based abuse.' The latest figures are contained in a response to a freedom of information request published on Edinburgh Council's website, which asked for the number of reported abusive or sexist comments made towards female teachers from students or other staff members. The council said it was unable to provide a breakdown by gender, but said there were 22 such incidents recorded in total in 2020/21, followed by 40 in 2021/22, 92 in 2022/23, 135 in 2023/24 and 142 in 2024/25. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The NASUWT pointed to comments made by its female members in Scotland in its 2025 behaviour in schools survey. 'Pupils - especially male pupils - have been hugely influenced by misogynistic influencers on social media, people like Andrew Tate and there is a definite shift in disparaging, disdainful behaviour of boys as young as 12/13 towards female members of staff,' one said. 'Out of an English class of 28 S2 pupils last year, four boys opted, despite discouragement, to write a persuasive essay on why Andrew Tate is the GOAT (Greatest of All Time) which included praise of his view that women are a man's property. This low view of woman and rhetoric plays out in how little regard and respect many of my female colleagues are encountering.' Scottish Conservative education spokesman Miles Briggs, who is an MSP for the Lothian region, said: 'This substantial rise in abuse is unacceptable, and a damning indictment of the SNP's failed approach to classroom discipline. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Teachers should not have to put up with what has become an epidemic of disorder and even violence, and must be allowed to discipline and if necessary exclude disruptive pupils. 'The SNP's incoherent guidance is letting down hard-working school staff and the majority of pupils who want to learn without disruption.' James Dalgleish, Edinburgh City Council's education, children and families convener, said: "It goes without saying that sexist and abusive comments are totally unacceptable , and we take all reports of abusive behaviour extremely seriously. When incidents do occur, we provide extensive support for those affected and take appropriate action. 'We also have a range of well-established programmes in place that focus on promoting positive behaviour. These are designed to help reduce the number of incidents and support a respectful, inclusive school environment. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'While it is difficult to attribute the increase in such behaviours to any single cause, we recognise there are complex societal factors that may be contributing to these challenges.' A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: 'There is no place for violence or abuse, by anyone, of anyone, about anything, in our schools. We all want our schools to be safe places for children and young people to learn and for teachers and staff to work. 'Last year the Scottish Government published guidance on responding to gender-based violence in schools, including instances where staff members are affected. This guidance was developed in partnership with our teaching trade unions, including the NASUWT.
The Independent
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Former firefighters' union chief Matt Wrack wins NASUWT leadership election
Matt Wrack has been elected as the permanent general secretary of the NASUWT teaching union. The union held its first contested leadership election in decades after it faced legal action over the appointment of its new leader. Mr Wrack, the former leader of the Fire Brigades Union, secured 5,249 votes to beat Neil Butler, NASUWT's national officer for Wales, who received 3,126 votes, the union has announced. A postal ballot of members closed on Wednesday. Only 4.7% of eligible NASUWT members took part in the first contested leadership election since 1990. Mr Wrack was announced as union leader in April after he was endorsed by the national executive to replace Patrick Roach. However, Mr Butler took legal action against the union after its national executive committee told him he was not eligible to stand for the position as a non-member. Mr Butler and Luke Lockyer, the union's president in Wales, sought 'injunctive relief' to force the union to reopen nominations. NASUWT reached an agreement to head off High Court legal action over the ballot, and the union agreed to pay £65,000 of Mr Butler and Mr Lockyer's costs and VAT. NASUWT announced in June that the leadership election would go ahead after Mr Wrack and Mr Butler both met the threshold of being nominated either by the NASUWT national executive or by a minimum of 25 local associations. Mr Wrack said: 'I am immensely honoured to be elected general secretary of NASUWT. 'I want to thank every member who participated in this election for placing their trust in me. 'NASUWT is a proud and powerful voice for teachers, and together we will make that voice even stronger. 'I pay tribute to Dr Patrick Roach for his years of service and to Neil Butler for a spirited campaign that highlighted the issues our members care about. 'Now, our priority is unity and action. ' Teachers have endured years of underinvestment, overwork, and undervaluing of our profession. 'We urgently need Government to invest in education – that means fair pay, manageable workloads, and safe, respectful working environments for staff and students. 'I will work tirelessly with our executive and activists across all nations to secure the conditions and respect teachers deserve. 'This is a critical moment for education, and NASUWT will lead the way in fighting for our members' rights.' Wayne Broom, NASUWT president, said: 'We congratulate Matt on his election as general secretary of NASUWT. 'This election engaged our members up and down the country, and the result reflects their confidence in his leadership. 'Matt will play a vital role in the next chapter of the union's work on behalf of teachers across the UK. 'The national executive and I look forward to working closely with him as we continue our mission to put teachers first. 'We also want to thank Neil Butler for standing in this election and for his ongoing service to NASUWT – his dedication exemplifies the strength of this union's democracy.'
