The October 2010 edition of the SSTA Bulletin can be downloaded here.
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Teachers: Russell: I'm sorry but don't blame me young teachers can't find jobs
The Scotsman (By FIONA MACLEOD) – 28/10/10 01:02
THE high number of teachers unable to find jobs has been blamed on "cavalier" councils and over-recruitment to teacher training universities by education secretary Michael Russell.
After being grilled at the education committee yesterday, Mr Russell was accused of giving a "grudging" apology to the hundreds of teachers unable to find work.
Full story available from The Scotsman
Minister in call to revisit McCrone deal for teachers
Herald Scotland (Andrew Denholm, Education Correspondent) – 28/10/10 06:03
A historic agreement governing the pay and conditions of Scottish teachers should be re-opened as council budget cuts loom, the Education Secretary said yesterday.
Michael Russell told the Scottish Parliament's education committee it was time for the 2001 McCrone deal to be “revisited”.
The comment came as the committee discussed suggestions from some councils that increasing the hours teachers spend in the classroom would allow them to cut staff and save millions of pounds.
Mr Russell said any such negotiations would have to take place through an existing tri-partite group of councils, Government officials and teaching unions.
But he added: “The McCrone agreement is 10 years old and any agreement that is 10 years old probably needs revisiting.
Full story available from The Herald Scotland.
This Association is prepared to consider any proposals put but will not accept the wholesale destruction of conditions of service. Should any attempt be made to negotiate changes members will informed via email and the website.
There is a Better Way March and Rally
The Association is attending the STUC There is a Better Way the March and Rally taking place in Edinburgh 23rd October 2010. Any members wishing to attend the march can join the Association's official delegation. Details of the meeting place and timings of the march are detailed below.
10.45 am: Meet in Princes Street Garderns by the Scott Monument.
11.00 am: Make our way to the march assembley point on East Market Street.
11.30 am: March off.
12.30 pm: Rally at the Ross Bandstand.
Members arriving late by train should take the Jeffery Street Exit and walk to East Market Street to meet us there.
If you would like to help the Campaign by volunteering to be a Steward for the March and Rally please click the link below and scroll down to register:
http://www.abetterway.siteiscentral.com/events/1/there-is-a-better-way-demo/
Hutton Report and Our Pensions
The Hutton interim report suggests a number of 'money saving' improvements to public service pensions. It would appear that the solutions are known before the problem is identified. The scheme revaluation, currently underway, won't be reported until 2012.
In the meantime proposals, possibly to include:
• raising the retirement age
• increasing employee contributions
• move to average salary pensions
will decimate the contractual benefit we enjoy and deprive teachers of the retirement they have so hard worked for.
This Association will fight to retain our pensions, and other contractual benefits. This will begin on 23 October with the 'There Is a Better Way' rally in Edinburgh. If you can, please support the rally in person. Further information will be added regularly to the website, along with details of how you can become involved.
However, to allay concerns of members approaching retirement age, Lord Hutton has always stated preserved pension rights should be protected.
SSTA responds to Cabinet Secretary's bullying
Colleagues
You may have noted from newspaper reports that the Scottish Government has threatened to remove the Association from the Management Board if we consult members on the implementation of Curriculum for Excellence.
It has also been suggested that at a time of financial difficulties we should be concentrating on protecting salaries and pensions. I would simply ask what, in a time of recession, could be more important than the education of future generations.
Executive meets on 1 Oct and Council on 2 Oct when this ultimatum will be debated and a decision made.
In the meantime I wish to assure you that this Association will always strive to advance secondary education in Scotland, and to safeguard and promote the interests of Scottish secondary teachers in all matters.
An invitation to respond to GTC Scotland consultations 2010
In January 2008 the First Minister announced that the General Teaching Council for Scotland would be established as a ‘self- regulatory, profession led body, along the lines of the General Medical Council. Consultation followed focussing on some key functions of the Council and in January 2010 the response to that consultation was published.
To enact the resultant changes to the Council, regulation will be placed before Parliament in September 2010. The current 12th Council will continue to exist in the meantime with the 13th Council being the first to operate under the new legislative framework in late 2011 or early 2012.
The General Teaching Council for Scotland is now moving to a period of consultation with stakeholders.
Two consultations will shortly take place:
• Consultation on the Election and Appointment of Council Members
29th September 2010 closing on 29th December 2010
The GTCs needs to decide on several key points relating to how they elect and appoint people to sit on the Council. Your views are important to us on these proposals relating to how registered teachers are elected and public interest members appointed to a future independent Council.
• Consultation on Registration and Standards Rules
1st October 2010 closing on 3rd January 2011
This second consultation proposes new registration and standards rules and a revised statement of the principles governing exceptional admissions to the register. These rules will apply to those seeking registration (or re registration) with the General Teaching Council for Scotland, as well as those already registered with the Council who are looking to gain professional standards awards.
Responses will be published around March 2011.
To read more details concerning both consultations and to take part please go to http://www.gtcs.org.uk
Teachers' Side Submission to the Independent Public Service Pensions Commission
The commission will undertake a fundamental structural review of public service pension provision by Budget 2011. It will produce an interim report in September 2010 ahead of the Spending Review.
Scope of the Commission's work
The commission will make recommendations on how public service pensions can be made sustainable and affordable in the long-term, fair to both the public service workforce and the taxpayer, and ensure that they are consistent with the fiscal challenges ahead.
The Commission will consider issues including:
* the growing disparity between public service and private sector pension provision;
* the need to ensure that future pension provision is fair across the workforce;
* how risk should be shared between the taxpayer and employee; and
* wider Government policy intended to encourage adequate saving for retirement and longer working lives.
The Teachers' Side submission to the Hutton Commission can be downloaded here.
EHRC - Inquiry into Disability Related Harassment
Please note that the Equality and Human Rights Commission is conducting an inquiry into disability related harassment. The remit is explained fully here, but please note that the geographical area covered does include Scotland, so members are encouraged to submit responses as appropriate. Thanks
http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/legal-and-policy/formal-inquiries/inquiry-into-disability-related-harassment/
The deadline is 10th September.
Maternity Leave and the Accrual of Holidays
In June of this year the SNCT amended the national Conditions of service in relation to accrual of holidays during Maternity leave in order to bring teachers' conditions of service in line with legislation. The new arrangements are more complex that the previous ones. The text of the arrangements is available from Part 2: Section 7 of the The SNCT Handbook of Conditions of Service
Outline of the Arrangements
Teachers on maternity leave now accrue holidays on the same basis as a teacher was at work.
For every day a teacher is on maternity leave (which would normally have been a day of work) the teacher accrues 0.3385 of a day's holiday. The calculation of holiday entitlement has 3 elements to it:
1. Holidays accrued and taken prior to commencement of Maternity Leave 2. Holidays accrued during Maternity Leave 3. Holidays accrued and to be taken after Maternity Leave
Any outstanding balance of holidays accrued will normally be taken immediately after the end of the Maternity Leave period (with consultation with the employer).
The teacher has the option to take at least some of this outstanding balance as an additional cash payment rather than as holidays. It must be remembered that a teacher while on holiday does not accrue further holiday entitlement.
Who is affected?
The following 3 groups will be affected by these changes:
1. Those currently on Maternity Leave 2. Those about to go on Maternity Leave 3. Those who have recently returned from Maternity Leave
The SNCT did not make any decision regarding the back-dating of these new arrangements. In the opinion of the Association's legal adviser, teachers whose babies were born on or after 5 October 2008 may be entitled to claim.
What to do?
In the first instance the Association advises any member with questions relating to Maternity Leave and the accrual of holidays should contact their employers HR department to ascertain the employer's view on the matter. A profoma letter is available to help you contact your employer. Where the information from your employer differs from advice above please email the Association at info@ssta.org.uk for further support.
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