The National Education Union coronavirus response includes prioritising safety of our members, amending assessment, ensuring fair conditions and reward for all education workers and making sure no child is left behind.
Protecting those at risk
From 3 December, DfE advice means that those that are clinically extremely vulnerable (CEV) may be asked to stop working from home and return to the workplace. We oppose this move and are supporting all CEV members that wish to continue working from home.
We have written this letter to all headteachers and provided this briefing on our position.
We have also written to every local authority and asked our members to identify as CEV.
Steps you can take
- Follow up our letter to all local authorities with your local authority.
- Speak to the headteachers of those members who do not have reps ensuring that CEV members are working from home.
- Tell members the outcome of what their head says, this issue affects all members who at any time could become CEV.
- Let your region know if this has been resolved, or if it needs escalating, including industrial action or use of section 44.
- If you know of a local authority or MAT who have also endorsed the union position, please let us know.
Resources
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COVID-19
CEV letter to heads
Letter to heads support clinically extremely vulnerable (CEV) colleagues by agreeing that they should work at home for the remainder of this term.
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COVID-19
CEV staff briefing
Covid-19: Why clinically extremely vulnerable staff must be allowed to work from home
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COVID-19
November advice to CEV members
Guidance for clinically extremely vulnerable members, their reps and district/branch secretaries
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COVID-19
Engaging with Public Health Authorities and the Public on Coronavirus
Branch toolkit:
Guidance for officers in discussions with local authorities, supporting reps and members. -
COVID-19
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Model letter to Employers and headteachers regarding RAs & CEV Staff
Use this letter to communicate with employers and headteachers regarding following risk assessments and vulnerable staff
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Model letter to Public Health Directors
Use this letter to follow up from the JGS letter with your local public health director.
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Model letter to Tier 2&3 Directors of Public Health
Use this letter if your local authority area is in tier 2 or 3 to communicate with your local public health director.
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COVID-19
Letter sent to all employers by JGSs
This letter was sent to all employers and headteachers by our joint general secretaries.
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JGS letter to all directors of children services 1 December 2020.
JGS letter to all directors of children services 1 December 2020.
NEU officers are integral to supporting members and reps in their areas. Our guide downloadable below helps officers in:
- Communicating with reps and members in schools with outbreaks or high infections rates
- Meeting with key decision makers to discuss how schools are kept safe and raise any member concerns
- Feeding back to reps and members
NEU reps will help raise issues relating to safety and workload. We have outlined all guidance to NEU reps on our coronavirus reps webpage.
How to hold a successful digital members or reps meeting
We have this short guide to help you deliver a digital meetings of reps and even members to discuss the checklist and ensure we represent members views collectively in discussion with your leadership teams.
How members can secure progression in your local authority area
The COVID-19 crisis, and partial closure of schools, has placed enormous pressure on school staff including teachers, support staff and school leaders.
Annual pay reviews cannot be carried out in the normal way. This was the case in the 2019/20 academic year and remains the case in 2020/21. Objectives for 2020/21, mid-year reviews and other performance management discussions must properly reflect the impact of the pandemic. The NEU continues to call on all employers to ensure that eligible staff receive pay progression automatically.
Rep recruitment drive
Many members have already stepped up to become NEU reps and to become part of rep teams to help during the COVID-19 crisis.
If there is a member who wants to be a rep in your area, even supporting an existing rep, we are encouraging them to indicate they want to get involved using our form here.
Support for you
We are asking you as local branch and district officers to support reps and members during this time, if you require further assistance, please contact your region/Wales office.