National Conference 2016 – Birmingham

Towards the end of last month (28th March – 1st April) the NASUWT National Conference was held in Birmingham & at the wonderful ICC, as I had been elected to attend with other colleagues from Telford earlier in the year on the Friday morning of the 28th I headed into Birmingham on the Tram & checked in to the Hyatt Regancy Hotel which is connected to the ICC via a bridge!

Sad as it seems I really enjoyed walking over that bridge every day from the Hotel to the Conference Centre.

Friday afternoon was registering as a delegate for the Conference & registering my children for the crèche, so straight away I improved on last year’s conference when I bungled the crèche booking!

After setlling my children into the crèche, I took a stroll around the fringe/exhibition centre, where a range of companies were available to speak with, I also put my name for a treatment at the relaxation zone! (Indian Head Massage) which was lovely!

Friday afternoon/evening was meeting up with other Telford delegates and having dinner in the hotel before (walking across that bridge) for Chris Keates speech to open the conference.

As we were walking over the discussion as to the topic, length & content of the speech was discussed, one hot topic was the pending visit of Nicky Morgan M.P. the Education Minister.

Needless to say Chris Keates speech was ‘spikey’ and attacked this Government’s appalling record on the economy, its attack on Public services & through the pending Trade Union Bill attacks on the rights of all workers.

The speech was well received by delegates and as the ‘battle-lines’ for the following days visit was set, we all went away happy!

The Conference opened on the Saturday with our new president Kathy Wallis being sworn in, and taking charge of Conference proceedings:

However proceedings were quite muted with so many delegates missing from the Conference Hall or unable to be involved because they were only allowed ‘Observer status’ this lead to motions & discussions being rather ‘benign’.

This all changed around 10am when Nicky Morgan arrived, it was clear from her opening remarks she had come to be incendiary and cause a reaction from the Conference floor, comments such as the NASUWT Website being all negative, and teachers talking down the profession were all aimed (in my opinion) to get a response, this followed with her announcement that the Government Academy program, I/e the privatization of our state schools would not only continue but proceed so ALL schools were an Academy DID NOT go down well.

NEWS Reports on Nicky Morgan’s speech

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-35903149

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/nicky-morgan-heckled-and-laughed-at-by-teachers-at-nasuwt-conference-in-birmingham_uk_56f670a8e4b0691b0c55d376

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-35899478

http://www.nasuwt.org.uk/Whatsnew/NASUWTNews/PressReleases/NickyMorganConservativePartyConferenceSpeech

I felt ‘fair play’ to Nicky Morgan coming to the NASUWT Conference, which was the first time an Education Minister had came in person for over 20 years, but it was a visit to divide, to inflame and to abuse the work teachers do. However she is clearly a clever politician who has seen what happens to career minded Education Ministers, one only need look at her predecessor, Michael Gove.

And I am sure this is not the last time we will hear Nicky Morgan on the forced       academy-ing of State Schools – still her prime objective was achieved in getting maximum publicity for her proposals.

Once Nicky Morgan exited the stage Conference proceeded through the Motions before it, but once again it felt devoid of debate, and rather a tick box exercise, I/e simply ticking off and agreeing to everything.

The evening events & sessions were enjoyable with various meals & Regional events to socialize and network with colleagues was enjoyable as always. The children had a simply amazing time in the crèche and couldn’t wait to get there everyday.

I had to wait until the Monday for my motion to be called that I hoped/wished to speak on, this was covering ‘Union Support for Supply Teachers’, I had put in a friendly motion asking that Supply Teachers were provided with an ‘Advisory Committe’ as per every other Special Interest Group and I spoke on the need for Supply Teachers within our Union to have a clear voice and a process/channel to raise request for support etc.

Happily my friendly motion was agreed/passed, as was the Motion to provide support to Supply Teachers. Now I look forward to the Executive’s response to this.

In Summary:

‘It was the best of times & the worst of times’

A more subdued Conference than Cardiff last year, partly caused by the strange rules hindering Divisions getting to Conference with status to participate.

A difficult Conference to hear Nicky Morgan’s plans for State Education.

A great Conference to catch up with friends & colleagues from around the Country and discuss Educational Issues.

Roll on Manchester 2017

http://www.nasuwt.org.uk/TrainingEventsandPublications/ConferencesandEvents/AnnualConference/AnnualConference2017/index.htm