Link to this page: http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/issue/335/5643
From The Socialist newspaper, 21 February 2004
Fighting to change the NUT
SOCIALIST PARTY member Martin Powell-Davies is campaigning to stand as general secretary of the National Union of Teachers (NUT).
He told the socialist: "The legacy of outgoing general secretary McAvoy's leadership is of failure. Ordinary teachers have a deadening workload which has driven many of them out of teaching. Many older teachers would like to take early retirement but now the government is trying to block that.
"There's under-funding, there's a pay freeze, there's performance related pay, SATs, privatisation, management bullying. There's OFSTED, there's teaching on the cheap. There's so many issues there's huge discontent in the staff room.
"But many ordinary teachers are really angry that the union has let them down.
And that's why I'm standing to change the NUT union. Teachers need to see there's someone at the top of the union who's actually in touch with them, who understands what the problems facing teachers are and is actually going to do something about them."
Martin is standing as a teachers' leader on a teacher's salary, for an end to teachers' excessive workloads and for the union to organise effective action against performance pay and the pay freeze.
He's also standing for a serious campaign to end SATs and league tables and for unity in action against the government's plans for teaching on the cheap - for strike action to oppose unqualified staff taking teaching posts and for decent pay and conditions for all education staff.
He's also campaigning to defend the right to retire at 60 on a full pension.
To find out more about the campaign see the website:
http://elect-martin.tripod.com
email: martinpd_uk@yahoo.co.uk
tel: 07946 445488
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In The Socialist 21 February 2004:
Low paid say: "Enough is enough"
Education
Socialist Party Councillors Say No To Top-Up Fees
"Jack is walking!"... but the system is failing
Workplace news and analysis
Belfast Airport Workers Win Trade Union Inquiry
Socialist Party feature
Socialist Party conference 2004: Socialism On The March
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