National Union of Teachers Fairer Futures Project

NATIONAL UNION OF TEACHERS FAIRER FUTURES PROJECT BASELINE SURVEY OF DIVISION SECRETARIES SEPTEMBER 2008

DIVISION: ……………………………………………………………………………………………

YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS: …………………………………………………………......

SECTION A: ABOUT YOUR DIVISION

1. Does your division have an equal opportunities officer (EOO)?

Yes  No  Don’t know 

If ‘yes’ please give name and contact details:

2. If you are a multi association division:

(a) How many associations within the division? ……………………………………...

(b) How many of the associations have an EOO? …………………………......

3. If the post of equal opportunities officer is vacant, please indicate what barriers exist to encouraging members to take up the post (tick as many as apply):

Lack of facilities time for post 

Lack of interest among members about equal opportunities 

Members are too busy 

The role of equal opportunities officer is not clear 

Equal opportunities officers do not know where to get support 

Lack of training for equal opportunities officers 

Other barriers: SECTION B: ABOUT YOUR EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES OFFICER

4. What, if any, of the activities below does your EOO carry out?

Raising members awareness of rights under equality laws 

Support school reps to mainstream equality 

Support employers and Authority to review policies 

Raise awareness of discrimination and its impact 

Advise, represent or signpost members experiencing discrimination 

Promote flexible working and work life balance 

Include equality on the bargaining agenda 

If they carry out other activities, please describe them:

5. What do you find useful about having an equal opportunities officer?

……………………………………………………………………………………………………..

6. How would you like your equal opportunities officer to develop the role?

7.(a) Do they have any facilities time in connection with the equal opportunities officer role?

7.(b) If yes, please explain how much time per term…………………………………………..

8. Have they attended the Union’s national training course for equal opportunities officers? Yes  No  Don’t know 

SECTION C: CHALLENGES IN CARRYING OUT THE EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES OFFICER ROLE

9. What are the main barriers to the equal opportunities officer carrying out the role? (Please rank the barriers below 1-6; with 1= the greatest barrier and 6= the smallest barrier): Rank these 1-6

Lack of information about Union EO campaigns 

Lack of interest among members about equal opportunities 

The role of equal opportunities officer is not clear 

They do not know where to find information/support 

Lack of facilities time 

Lack of training for equal opportunities officers 

Please tell us about any other barriers to carrying out the role:

10. Does your division/association:

(a) invite speakers on equal opportunities topics to local meetings?

(b) include items on equal opportunities in newsletters?

(c) include items on equal opportunities in local training?

11. What was the last topic on equal opportunities that was considered at a division or association meeting (e.g., mental health issues, Black Teachers Conference, publicising the Pride march or Love Music Hate Racism)?

SECTION D: GETTING UNION MEMBERS INVOLVED

12.(a) How frequently is the division/association contacted by members in relation to the employment issues below? (tick to show frequency)

Issue: Every Every Every term Once a year week month or less Racist harassment/discrimination

Homophobic harassment/discrimination

Sexual harassment /discrimination

Disability related discrimination

Job sharing

Maternity rights

Parental leave

Flexible working issues/right to request

Teachers with mental health conditions

Reasonable adjustments/disabled teachers

Part time or fixed term contract issues

Equal pay queries

Age discrimination

Issues related to transgender members

12.(b) Are there any common discrimination/equalities issues missing from the list above? 13. Has your division: Don’t Never Sometimes Each Know Year i). sent delegates to the NUT     Black Teachers’ Conference? ii). sent delegates to the NUT     Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans Teachers’ Conference? iii). made any members aware of     the NUT’s disabled members network (launched January 2007)?

14. Below are some statements. Please indicate whether you agree or disagree with them? Strongly Agree Don’t Disagree Strongly agree know disagree (1) The division has achieved      high levels of active participation from its women members in NUT activities (2) The division has achieved      high levels of active participation from its disabled members in NUT activities (3) The division has achieved      high levels of active participation from its LGBT members in NUT activities (4) The division has achieved      high levels of active participation from its black1 members in NUT activities

15. Where you think the division has achieved high levels of active participation from one or all of these groups, please explain why you think this is:

1 The term ‘black’ refers to people of South Asian, African, Caribbean and other minority ethnic groups who may experience racial discrimination. 16. Where you think the division has not achieved high levels of active participation from one or all of these groups, please explain why you think this is:

17. Does your region/division have any local networks for black teachers, LGBT teachers, disabled teachers or for women teachers? If yes, please describe the network/s:

SECTION E: LIAISON WITH THE LOCAL AUTHORITY

18. Has your division been consulted on drafting or reviewing any of the following Local Authority policies: Yes No Don’t Know  equal opportunities policy   

 race equality scheme   

 gender equality scheme   

 disability equality scheme   

 policies to increase diversity of    teaching workforce

19. Has your division been involved in reviewing or improving any other Local Authority policies or agreements on equal opportunities issues (eg on maternity rights, disability leave policies, flexible working, harassment and bullying)?

Please give examples of what has been achieved in local agreements:

Examples 20. Please tell us about any EO campaigns, events or surveys (including meetings or negotiations with the authority) which the division or association has undertaken in the last 24 months:

Examples

SECTION F: THE TOOLKIT FOR EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES OFFICERS

21. The Fairer Futures Project will be developing a skills-based toolkit for EOOs. How important do you think it would be for a Toolkit to contain the following information? Don’t Not Fairly Vital know useful useful i). information about employment rights of teachers     under anti-discrimination and health and safety legislation ii). strategies to develop involvement of     LGBT/Black/disabled teachers in the Union iii). checklist of negotiating issues to be raised with     authorities/employers iv). checklist of action points for developing good     practice on equal opportunities with head teachers and governors v). strategies to develop involvement of women     members in the Union and Union roles vi). equal pay toolkit and model pay audits and action     plans vii). statistics and facts about inequalities for certain     groups of teachers viii).quizzes for local training     ix). timelines showing progress made by Union in equal opportunities campaigns and through equal     opportunities legislation x). summaries of research evidence about     inequalities for certain groups of teachers xi). Case studies showing what other     divisions/associations have achieved in negotiations/campaigns on equal opportunities issues xii). sample/model surveys for use locally to survey     members xiii).model equal opportunities schemes    

xiv). Please suggest any other information to be included: ………………...... SECTION 4: EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES MONITORING This information will be strictly confidential and will form the basis of anonymous statistical reports. You are strongly urged to complete this section to assist the monitoring process for the Fairer Futures project. In particular the Union hopes to increase the diversity of Union officers and equal opportunities officers. The NUT wants to encourage more black, women, disabled and LGBT members to take up lay officer posts. In 2010 this monitoring exercise will be repeated to compare the improvement in participation levels.

1. GENDER  Female  Male

2. ETHNIC ORIGIN (please tick relevant boxes)

White British English White Irish White British Other White British Scottish White British Welsh Any Other White Background

Asian or Asian British Bangladeshi Asian or Asian British Indian Asian or Asian British Pakistani Any Other Asian Background

Black or Black British Caribbean Black or Black British African Any Other Black Background

Chinese Any Other Chinese Background

Mixed White and Black Caribbean Mixed White and Black African

Mixed White and Black Asian Any Other Mixed Background

Any Other Ethnic Group  Do not wish to disclose

3. DISABLED MEMBERS

Do you define yourself as disabled? Yes No Do not wish to disclose

4. SEXUAL ORIENTATION

Heterosexual Lesbian Gay Bisexual Do not wish to disclose

5. AGE 35 or under  36-45  46-55  56-65  66 or over  Do not wish to disclose  Thank you for taking the time to complete this questionnaire. Please return the questionnaire using the enclosed envelope by 10th October 2008 to:

Pam Collins, NUT South East Regional Office, 14-16 Sussex Road, Haywards Heath RH16 4EA or by e-mail to [email protected]