History of Dorset County Division

The 7 original Associations in Dorset formed three new Divisions (Dorset, Poole & Bournemouth) to match the 3 LAs created in the 1990s. Each of these three Divisions has maintained steady growth and now Dorset NUT is the largest teachers' Union in the county with over 1,750 members - qualified teachers in all school sectors, as well as centrally employed teachers, advisers, inspectors, psychologists and retired members.

The threat to teachers pensions continues in 2011/12?

The key campaign for the autumn term and then on into 2012 is the fight to protect public sector pensions.  The remarkable turn-out on the day of action on 30 June demonstrated the feelings of teachers from across the county.  The pressure must be maintained on 30 Nov and further petitions and lobbying of Parliament will need the ongoing support of all of us.  

Academies

The potential of Academies (and Free Schools) to undermine teachers' terms and conditions, at the same time as ruining a co-ordinated approach to organising education in Dorset as a whole, is very real.  How the three academies Twynham, Highcliffe and Thomas Hardye exercise their supposedly new-found freedoms will be closely monitored.  Only one of them has so far agreed to accept a formal union recognition and Joint Consultative Committee arrangement based on the TUC model - an ominous start.  Union groups in the academies will need to be strong and co-ordinated, with good reps and regular in-house meetings to flag concerns at an early stage.

Opposition to cuts and protection of individuals

The enthusiasm of the County Council to follow party lines and cut public sector spending is undiminished. Some reining back was achieved last year through concerted union pressure, but jobs remain under threat from general cuts as well as reorganisations like Purbeck.  We are determined to achieve as much fairness and compensation for the victims as possible.