5 December 2018

On Thursday, November 29th, UCAC General Secretary Dilwyn Roberts-Young, attended a meeting with the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) in their Cardiff offices.

It was an opportunity, with representatives of other unions, to gain an overview of the challenges facing all areas of Wales. It was agreed that the representatives of the employers and representatives of employees need to establish a pattern of meetings along with clear communications between unions and the WLGA.

Such a relationship will provide an opportunity for consistent messages to be sent to Welsh Government on the priorities in terms of funding in order to ensure that any monies reach the areas which are of concern for our members.

Teachers and school leaders are the most important resources in education and it is crucial that the emphasis is on job security and ensuring that pay and conditions of service are not undermined. Pressure needs to be put on Welsh Government to release sufficient funding to ensure the success of a number of developments over the coming years.

UCAC welcomes the intention to ensure a more structured relationship between the WLGA and the unions – in accordance with our requests over an extended period. We also wish Steve Thomas, Chief Executive of the WLGA, well on his retirement at the end of the year.

For further information contact:

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. / 01970 639950

12 November 2018

A Meeting with Flint County Council Officials

On Monday, November 19th, Dilwyn Roberts-Young, UCAC General Secretary met with the Chief Executive,Colin Everett and the Director of Life Long Learning, Claire Homard at Flintshire County Council offices. 

The meeting was an opportunity to share concerns about education funding and the implications for salaries, conditions of service and job security for teachers working in Flintshire. The meeting was the latest in a series which have taken place with a number of authorities and which will continue to take place at a challenging time for the profession and the education system as a whole.

The meeting was timely as the authority launched a campaign the following day in which it called for fair funding for local government and for Flintshire County Council. Details of the campaign can be found at: www.flintshire.gov.uk/OurFlintshire19-20

Flintshire County Council is asking Welsh Government ‘to #BacktheAsk for £5.6m more funding for Flintshire’. According to the statement by the Chief Executive the authority needs a positive response from Welsh Government in order to ‘protect local services and keep Council Tax rises down.’

For further information contact:

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15 November 2018

The Supply Teacher Working Group

UCAC has attended a series of meetings which has given consideration to the pay and conditions of supply teachers.

In those meetings we have been working to ensure fairness for supply teachers by highlighting low salaries, the undermining of conditions of service and the lack of professional development opportunities.

UCAC’s General Secretary Dilwyn Roberts-Young attended the latest meeting on Thursday, 15^th of November where a number of issues were raised.

The devolution of pay and conditions will eventually provide a golden opportunity for supply teachers to access professional development. 

The National Approach to Professional Learning (NAPL) is an investment in response to the changes facing the education system over the coming years. We will need to look at the impact the additional monies will have on schools employing supply teachers.

Over the coming days UCAC will be highlighting the circumstances of supply teachers in the Fair Work Commission consultation and raising concerns we have when supply teachers face allegations whilst working for agencies.

UCAC is committed to campaigning to ensure that supply teachers are treated with equity and respect as valued members of the education workforce.

For further information contact:

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. / 01970 639950

15 November 2018

Teachers Working Longer Review: Final Report

In the Autumn of 2014 a report was commissioned ‘into the possible health and deployment implications for teachers working longer as a result of the increase in normal pension age’.

Undeb Cenedlaethol Athrawon Cymru (UCAC) has fully engaged in the discussion which has led to the publication of the report. This report can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/teachers-working-longer-review-final-report

The final report, published on the 5th of November, includes a number of recommendations which deserve careful consideration. They include

• the need for  greater recognition and celebration of older teachers as an important part of the teaching workforce;
• consistent and effective support for teachers’ physical, mental and emotional health and well-being throughout their career;
• more support in managing an age diverse workforce and getting the best out of older teachers;
• promotion and implementation of flexible working across all schools to support a more inclusive age-diverse culture.

The report also recommends that the group continues to meet acknowledging that changing the culture within the education system is the challenge facing government, employers, employees and trade unions. At a time when financial constraints are undermining the profession and having an adverse impact on health and well being, there needs to be considerable investment in order to allow schools to support diversity.

This is the challenge for the years ahead and the report is a useful foundation for the discussions needed.

For further information contact:

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. / 01970 639950

14 November 2018

Teachers' Pensions Scheme

The majority of our members will also be members of the Teachers' Pensions scheme.

By now a number of those members will have registered with the My Pensions Online area of the scheme’s website with a significant increase in registered members over the past twelve months - over 15,000 members a month.

During the year our officials meet with Capita, which is responsible for administrating the Scheme, to consider the efectiveness of the service and the terms and conditions of the service.

The General Secretary, Dilwyn Roberts-Young, attended meetings on Monday, November 12th to consider how the Scheme engages with its members.

An interesting message from the meetings was the need for members to look at their Teachers' Pensions 'account' in the same way as they look at their bank accounts.

The My Pensions Online website receives over forty million visits a year with over two million visits to the section on benefit statements.

At times, members of the Scheme will contact their employers or union to make enquiries about their pensions. It must be emphasised that the figures available to members on the My Pensions Online is current and correct.

UCAC encourages its members to register with the My Pension Online and to check that the information about them is current and correct. The Scheme is your money administrated by Capita and you need to make sure that every day of your service is documented.

Part of the feedback we have in preparing for the meetings are the queries from members. With regards to communication a number have raised concerns about the lack of Welsh language provision. It's important to note that every form from Capita is available in the Welsh language. In order to show the demand for a Welsh language service - make sure you demand your right to Welsh language provision.

If you have any queries regarding your pension contact your field officer and in order to ensure that the information is current register with the Teachers' Pensions website.