To All NTA Members Working in Newham

NUT Strike Thursday 24th April 2008

By now you will have heard of the sudden death of our General Secretary, Steve Sinnott,
on Saturday 5th April 2008. On our website there is a page dedicated to news of this untimely event. There you will see a copy of the personal letter I immediately sent to his wife, Mary, along with the Newham Tributes. You can see all the tributes on our website by clicking Tributes To Steve Sinnott; you can even add your own tribute.

I shall be recommending to the NTA Committee the setting up of an Association hardship fund in memory of Steve.

You can also click NUT Strike Action and listen to Steve calling upon you to take strike action on Thursday 24th April 2008. He was very buoyant about the outcome of the strike ballot and strongly believed this action was necessary to win FAIR PAY FOR TEACHERS; his closing remarks at the NUT 2008 Annual Conference. All NUT members working in Newham and paid under the school teachers’ pay and conditions document are encouraged to take strike action. Exemptions are for those in their last year of service and those required for public examinations taking place on the day. Other queries, please contact the NTA Office.

I ask you to show your solidarity with Steve
by answering his call on Thursday 24th April 2008.

The Local Authority has e-mailed the following advice to headteachers “Those in a union are not legally required to tell you in advance of their intentions, but understanding service implications, they may. If they do not, you should assume they will be taking strike action.” I have also informed the LA that it is now unlawful for an agency to provide staff to cover employees engaged in lawful strike action and pay deduction to be 1/365 in accordance with the Burgundy Book. Thus members should not be asked if they are taking strike action and it is down to those who do not wish to take strike action to inform their headteacher or appropriate line manager.

You will receive in the post an A3 flyer informing you of the demonstration and rally on Thursday 24th April 2008, along with a copy of NUT NEWS number 7 and the NUT NEWS announcing the death of Steve Sinnott.

Please find the NTA Banner at Lincolns Inn Fields by 11.30am on the day.

Finally, on your return to work on Monday 21st April 2008 you should find your NTA April 2008 members’ NEWSLETTER, inside a NTA envelope, in your pigeon hole. If that is not the case please contact, urgently, NUT Headquarters [0207 388 6191] asking for membership and subscriptions department to update your record. You will need your home postal code and/or membership number [see label on envelope] ready.

Yours sincerely

Peter Smith
Secretary