Inside the NASUWT
The NASUWT is a member led organisation where the democratic structures of the Union allow members to form the policies that drive the work of the Union forwards. The Union aims to have a NASUWT 'voice in every workplace' to ensure that members have their issues heard and recognised by the Union. Each workplace is supported by a local association and each district by a National Executive Member. The NASUWT also has a network of staff in the Union's 12 regional/national centres and at the Unions Headquarters.
A voice in every workplace
The most important role within the NASUWT is the workplace representative. It is NASUWT representatives in the school and college that are the first person a member will speak to when they have a work related issue. The NASUWT can only be effective in defending teachers terms and conditions if there are active members in the workplace. NASUWT workplace representatives are also entitled to free training to undertake the role. However, there are an abundance of other activities that can be undertaken by members in the workplace and some of them would take up little of a teachers time. Such activities include undertaking the important role of the workplace contact. This role ensures that important information coming from the National and Regional Union is disseminated across the workforce in the school. Find out more about getting active active in the workplace.
Getting Involved in the local associations
All NASUWT members are part of a Local Association. The local association a member is part of depends on the school where a teacher works as local associations are largely organised on geographical boundaries. Local associations are formed and run by practising teachers and they are the local NASUWT organisations that support all NASUWT reps, contacts and members within a specific area. Members can find out what local association they are part of by visiting the local association page.
Local associations also decide how NASUWT policy is implemented in the local area, whilst they also discuss strategies for recruiting and retaining teachers in the NASUWT. However, local associations are only as effective as the NASUWT members that get involved in them and help to decide how they run. Find out more about getting involved in your local association.
National Executive Members
All local associations fall within districts and each district has a lead NASUWT activist - The National Executive Member (NEM). The National Executive members provides advice and guidance for local association activists within the district as well as getting involved in local negotiations. National Executive Members also sit on the NASUWT National Executive and disseminate national policy to their local activists but also feedback local issues to the national Union. If you are a NASUWT member it may be useful to find out who your National Executive Member is.
NASUWT's Regional and National Centres
The invaluable work of the NASUWT's workplace representatives and local association officers is supported by highly trained employees of the Union in the NASUWT's nine Regional Centres across England the the National Centres in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Regional/National Centres provide vital administrative and case work support to activists as well as provide advice, guidance and support to local representatives on building the Union locally. Find out how to contact your NASUWT Regional/National Centre.
NASUWT Headquarters
The NASUWT headquarters is situated in Birmingham and is home to a number of the Union's key policy teams and officials that provide overarching guidance and support to the NASUWT Regional/National Centres and the Union's lay activists. The General Secretary's Team is based at the Union's headquarters which includes the General Secretary - Chris Keates, the Deputy General Secretary - Patrick Roach and the Assistant General Secretary's - Mary Howard and Tracey Twist. Other teams based at the Union's headquarters focus on areas of work such as education and equalities policy, issues relating to the terms and conditions of teachers across the UK and recruiting, retaining, organising and training the lay membership.
The Union's headquarters is also home to Conference facilities and accommodation that is regularly utilised for both NASUWT events, other trade union conferences, seminars and meetings and external events. To find out more about how to book the Union's Conference facilities contact the Conference Centre on 0121 453 6150.
