Today the largest education union in the UK comes into force -
with the amalgamation of the Association of Teachers and
Lecturers (ATL) and the National Union of Teachers (NUT) creating
the National Education Union.
With more than 450,000 members, the National Education Union
represents the majority of teachers and other education
professionals, providing broader support in maintained and
independent schools and colleges and a stronger voice in the
education debate.
Combining the expertise and experience of both ATL and the NUT,
the National Education Union is committed to making the education
sector a great place to work. It will continue to campaign for
sustainable workloads, fight for a fairly-funded education system
and champion pay and working conditions. It will make education a
great place to teach - which values and promotes professional
expertise and learns from relevant data; and a great place to
learn - with a broad curriculum to motivate learners, allowing
them to develop their interests and skills for the future.
Dr Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the National
Education Union, said: “The National Education Union is a
game-changer combining ATL’s diversity of members, excellent
training and policy expertise with the NUT’s campaigning and
lobbying skills and well-established, effective local activity.
“The National Education Union brings together teachers,
lecturers, support staff, heads and managers in their workplaces
to share their expertise and improve their working lives. It is a
union ready to meet the current challenges, particularly in
funding and in workload, and to speak with authority as the voice
of the majority of teachers and other education professionals.”
Kevin Courtney, joint general secretary of the National Education
Union, said: “This is a pivotal moment in education, and members
need a united voice to speak loudly and authoritatively on the
issues that matter. The school funding crisis, high workload,
threats to pay and conditions, and the dire problems in
recruitment and retention - all are burning issues within the
profession, and the National Education Union will be a formidable
presence at the forefront of those debates.”
Members formerly in ATL or NUT will continue to be supported by
their union’s current staff and lay officials until the end of a
transition period on 1 January 2019. Current general secretaries
of both the ATL and NUT – Dr Mary Bousted and Kevin Courtney -
will continue in place as joint general secretaries of the
National Education Union until 2023.
