The role of the NASUWT Representative

NASUWT Representatives lead the Union in the workplace by:
Organising:

  • building the Union team within the school (Representative; Deputy Representative; NASUWT Health and Safety Representative; Learning Representative; NASUWT Staff Governor; Workplace Contact);

  • organising members to act collectively to support individuals facing difficulties and to campaign around workplace issues;

  • recruiting teachers, including new teachers and student teachers on their work placements, so that the Union grows stronger;

  • playing an active role within the Local Association;

  • encouraging attendance at Union training courses to improve members’ knowledge and skills.

Communicating:

  • keeping members informed by circulating the NASUWT national and local information to members;

  • holding regular and accessible meetings with members and informing the school management of the NASUWT policies and the collective view of members;

  • keeping the Local Association informed of developments by maintaining regular contact with the Local Secretary, attending Local Association meetings to find out what is happening in other schools and sharing what is happening in their own;

  • ensuring that all members of the school workforce are aware of the work of the Union through the prominent display of NASUWT materials;

  • helping to ensure that the Union records are kept up to date;

  • the NASUWT notice board can be a crucial way of communicating with both your members and school management. It is important that the full range of the Union’s work for all its members is covered. This could include NASUWT reports to schools, health and safety information, training opportunities, equalities information, Local Association newsletters and conferences and events.

Representing:

  • raising with management the concerns of members;

  • advising and supporting individual members in the workplace on employment-related matters.

NB. The law requires those representing members in grievance or disciplinary hearings to be accredited by the Union: see the Code of Practice on Casework (accessible to accredited caseworkers).

Developing good workplace relations:

The NASUWT Representative promotes positive, fair and equitable workplace relationships in their school or college by:

  • effective representation of the members’ collective voice;

  • contributing to a working environment that values every member of the workforce;

  • encouraging managers and employers to consult and negotiate.

Whenever possible, the NASUWT Representative defuses problems and discriminatory situations before they arise.

Be confident in your role and check with your Local Association Secretary if you are unsure about any course of action. Never advise a member to be in breach of contract. Only the National Action Committee of the National Executive can authorise industrial action. If members feel that a stand must be taken, contact your National Executive Member through the Local Association Secretary as early as possible.

Making use of your resources

Key resources for the NASUWT Representative include:

  • the NASUWT Representatives’ Handbook;

  • national and local reports and updates;

  • NASUWT advice and guidance;

  • NASUWT policy statements, press releases, research and surveys;

  • the NASUWT’s website.

Information is published for all members:

  • Teaching Today, the magazine published by the NASUWT, is sent to members’ home addresses regularly throughout the year. If a member is not receiving a copy, they may have changed address without telling the Union. Simply asking members whether they receive Teaching Today will help you update membership records.

  • Local Association newsletters should be produced and distributed to schools. These cover local issues and matters relevant to, for example, the local authority (LA).

In addition, another source of information you may find useful are the bulletins that the Union publishes from time to time, such as the Health and Safety Representatives Bulletin. 

Keeping records

An essential function of the NASUWT Representative is to keep accurate records of significant incidents in the school. These should include:

  • any complaint made to you by a Union member;

  • all incidents that may involve discrimination or prejudice;

  • any incident of disruptive pupil behaviour reported to you or of which you are aware;

  • what is said in any meeting you attend as an NASUWT Representative;

  • meetings you hold with members.

Records should always contain:

  • the date;

  • the names of those involved;

  • an account of the event/incident/meeting, including any outcome;

  • a note of any action/decision you have taken and any advice given.

Accurate records will help you solve problems. For example, you will be able to show exactly how many times when, where and how a pupil has behaved in a disruptive way or how many times the boiler has broken down.

Your records may become important in the future if matters are not resolved at school level and if other NASUWT Representatives, such as the Local Association Secretary, National Executive Member or the National Official, become involved.

As an NASUWT Representative, you should expect to be provided with a lockable drawer or filing cabinet to store confidential and sensitive information such as members’ statements and incidents.

This is an example of an Incident Log that you might adapt for your own use. (A blank copy is in Appendix 2 in the pdf.)

NASUWT Representative Incident Log
Date: 25 September 2021
Nature of incident: Staff harassment
Identity of those involved: M Windridge plus pupil, JT, in Year 11
Report:

Martha Windridge received an e-mail to her school account at 9.10am from an e-mail address - ‘[email protected]’.

The e-mail was abusive and called her ‘crap’ and a ‘retard who isn’t fit to be a teacher’.

Later, during the lunch break, around 12.40pm, a group of girls were laughing and shouting on the field. Martha overheard them talking loudly about ‘cripples’ and she heard JT shout ‘there’s the retard!’

Martha is very upset and feels the e-mail must have been sent by one of this group of pupils, probably pupil JT.


Action taken:
In the afternoon, visited the Vice-Principal responsible for staffing issues along with Martha and informed them of the incident. They are going to investigate where the e- mail came from.

Have contacted Local Secretary for further advice.



 
Signed: Joe Dornan Date: 26 September 2021