NUT: UK Teacher Unions Working Together
Friday, 23 September 2011 11:44 AM
Trade unions representing 375,000 teachers across the UK are launching an historic partnership. The unions representing teachers in England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have agreed to work in partnership to the benefit of teachers in our respective countries.
Despite the differing education systems many of the challenges teachers face are the same and this partnership will enable us to address these more effectively and allow our respective members to benefit from support from the appropriate union should they move between the countries of the UK.
The teacher unions signed up to the agreement are the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS), the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO), the National Union of Teachers (NUT) and the Ulster Teachers’ Union (UTU). The four unions agree to work as partners in close co-operation, campaigning together where appropriate, and promoting our shared trade union values.
Ronnie Smith, General Secretary, EIS
“The EIS is pleased to re-affirm its long-standing special relationship with our partner unions, the INTO, NUT and UTU – and to formalise it in this Partnership Agreement.
“The Agreement strengthens each Partner by facilitating both the sharing of information and ideas and also joint campaigning on issues that cut across the different education systems within the UK. At the same time each union retains its independence and ability to focus its work on the education system specific to their respective jurisdictions.”
Sheila Nunan, General Secretary, INTO
“This agreement will strengthen existing links and co-operation between the four unions and will be of great benefit to teachers. By working more closely together all of the unions will be better placed to meet the significant challenges facing teachers today. I warmly welcome this timely development which is another step to unite teachers in making progress on issues of common concern.”
Christine Blower, General Secretary, NUT
“I am pleased that our close ties with sister unions in the UK has been made stronger by this agreement and I am looking forward to working together on the many common challenges we face as unions committed to publicly funded and publicly accountable education provision.”
Avril Hall-Callaghan, General Secretary, UTU
“Many young people from Northern Ireland travel to colleges elsewhere to obtain their third level qualifications. This historic partnership agreement ensures that no matter what career path they choose to follow within teaching they are covered automatically by one of “The Big Four” unions.”
“These four unions have always worked very closely together, so the partnership agreement launched today cements the transfer arrangements for teachers who move from one region to another. I am delighted that this represents a further step towards teacher unity.”
For further details contact:
Brian Cooper at EIS on 0131 225 6244 or 07974 715 101 or bcooper@eis.org.uk
Nuala O’Donnell at INTO on 028 90381455 or 07718318977 or NODonnell@into.ie
Caroline Cowie at NUT on 0207 380 4706 or 07879 480 061 or c.cowie@nut.org.uk
Lindsay Osbourne at UTU on 028 90662216 or Lindsay.Osbourne@utu.edu
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