TUC commits to ‘defend’ teachers from ‘attacks’ by Reform-controlled councils
The Congress also called on the government to "support education workers facing intimidation"
Delegates at this year’s Trades Union Congress (TUC) have voted for a motion which committed on the trade union movement to “defend teachers and other workers targeted by far-right politicians, including attacks by Reform-controlled councils”.
The motion agreed by delegates was titled ‘Countering far right attacks and defending education ’.
It said that “far-right politics feeds on insecurity and division while offering no serious answer to underfunded public services, insecure work, poverty or inequality”, before going on to argue that education is “one of our strongest defences against prejudice” and that “a broad, inclusive curriculum taught by qualified teachers builds the critical thinking and media literacy skills children need to question, weigh evidence and reject scapegoating”.
The motion went on to argue: “Fourteen years of austerity have damaged the services families rely on, and many who turn to Reform fear for their children’s futures. The answer is investment in those futures and fair taxes on wealth, not conceding the ground.”
In conclusion, the motion called on the government to “reject far-right narratives which attempt to portray educators as a threat to patriotism and commit to defending education as a space for learning, inclusion,
and community” and to “defend education and educators from xenophobic and hate-fuelled narratives, support education workers facing intimidation, stand with refugees and migrants, and defend the trade union rights needed to resist attacks on public services.”
The motion also called on the TUC general council to “campaign for a fully funded, inclusive curriculum, delivered by qualified teachers”, “link the case against the far right to the campaigns against austerity and for tax justice”, “call for an emergency programme of policies to defend workers and their families
from the cost-of-living crisis, and action against austerity and against the divisive politics of the far right”, and “defend teachers and other workers targeted by far-right politicians, including attacks by Reform-controlled councils, and oppose disciplinary action, suspension or victimisation for challenging racism, supporting migrants or speaking out against discrimination”.
The motion was proposed by the National Education Union and seconded by the National Association of Head Teachers.
Chris Jarvis is head of strategy and development at Left Foot Forward
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