Redundancies have an impact on the whole school community. Although restructuring may initially appear to affect only one group of workers, the consequences are often felt across the entire workforce.
Employers will often present redundancies as isolated staffing decisions affecting only those directly at risk. However, staffing cuts affect the whole workforce by adding additional workload pressures on remaining staff and creating a culture of insecurity at work.
Therefore, we advocate a whole-school campaign approach based on the understanding that protecting the jobs of one section of the workforce means protecting the working conditions of all staff and the education that pupils receive.
The role of the rep
The role of the workplace rep is to turn individual concerns into collective organisation. Reps should ensure members understand what is being proposed, who is affected and how the proposals are likely to affect workload, working conditions and educational provision.
Employers may seek to present redundancies as unavoidable before staff have had an opportunity to discuss the proposals collectively. Reps should therefore communicate early, organise a workplace meeting as soon as possible and encourage members to engage with the union’s response from the outset.
Regular member meetings and workplace conversations help build confidence and create a shared understanding of the issues. Early organisation can also help identify new activists and strengthen workplace organisation.
Workplace solidarity is built through visible collective activity. Members attending meetings together, signing collective letters, wearing union badges or stickers and showing support for affected colleagues can demonstrate unity and strengthen the union’s bargaining position.
Developing demands
An effective campaign requires clear demands, agreed and supported by members. Examples may include avoiding compulsory redundancies, extending the consultation period, improving redeployment opportunities and negotiating enhanced redundancy packages.
Making decisions collectively helps build ownership of the campaign, ensures that demands reflect members’ priorities, and strengthens the union’s ability to negotiate from a united position.
Escalation
Employers are more likely to reconsider proposals when they face an organised and united workforce. Successful campaigns are built through escalating collective pressure, including collective letters, petitions, joint activity with other recognised unions and, crucially, workplace ballots.
Industrial action remains the strongest collective tool available to workers seeking to challenge redundancies and restructuring proposals. Effective action depends on strong workplace organisation, active member engagement and a shared understanding of what members are fighting to achieve.
The most successful campaigns are built long before any ballot takes place. Reps should focus on strengthening workplace organisation, involving members in decisions and building confidence in collective action from the start.
Support staff
Support staff are often among the first groups targeted when employers seek to reduce staffing costs. NEU workplace groups should challenge any attempt to present these cuts as an issue affecting only support staff members.
Where other recognised unions are present, NEU reps should seek to build joint working wherever possible. A co-ordinated response can strengthen bargaining, demonstrate workforce unity and increase pressure on the employer to reconsider proposed cuts.