Annual Report to Leeds NUT 2006
Leeds NEU Annual Report to the AGM 4 March 2021 _______________________________________________________________________________ 1 CONTEXT: THE PANDEMIC The last AGM of the Leeds District and Branch took place on March 14th 2020. It is almost impossible to convey the circumstances of the ensuing 12 months except to say that this has been an academic and union year without precedent. The normal functioning of the district was suspended between March and the end of July. The national union ruled that the usual decision-making members’ meetings should no longer take place as we could only meet online. There was no further general members’ meeting (OGM) until October 1st. On the other hand, the number of online meetings, the attendance and the engagement of members all increased beyond any recent measure. This was reflected in significant increases in Leeds NEU membership and workplace rep numbers. We have good reason to believe that we will emerge from this crisis as a stronger and even more effective organisation. 2 LEEDS NEU DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC The union branch and district continued to function since March 23rd but work was completely dominated by the crisis. The office was closed with officers and office administrator working from home. Conference 2020 was cancelled. The work of the branch has focused mainly on Covid-19, at first the lockdown and then the partial reopening from June 1st and the wider reopening in September. The main issues have been: self-isolation, sickness and the treatment of pay and absence, shielding and the vulnerable, attendance at school and rotas, including holiday periods, distance learning, workload and reasonable expectation and supply teachers.
[Show full text]