At TUC Congress NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union called for a fundamental shift in how public contracts are awarded, demanding that trade union recognition and facility time be made a condition of access to public funding.
The Union condemned the growth of multi-academy trusts and free schools that receive billions in taxpayer funding while refusing to recognise unions or engage in collective bargaining.
And in a Question and Answer session at the gathering in Brighton with Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson, National Executive Member Rachel Knight also raised the issue of trade union recognition, calling for it to be a condition of public funding and contracts.
Speaking earlier in a debate Rashida Din, NASUWT Ex-President, said:
“This is about the fundamentals of trade unionism—a reminder of the power of unity and collective action. If organisations want access to public money, they must accept trade union recognition and contribute to proper facility time arrangements. It is as simple as that.”
She attacked the growth of multi-academy trusts and free schools that receive billions in taxpayer funding while refusing to recognise unions or engage in collective bargaining.
“Too many employers deny recognition, resist accountability, and silence staff. That is not what public education should look like—and it’s not what any public service should look like.”
She warned that when unions are locked out, staff are left vulnerable—facing excessive workload, insecure contracts, and rising levels of abuse. Without recognition, individual rights are undermined and workplace protections are weakened.
Ms Din also stressed the importance of properly funded facility time, calling grouped arrangements “the foundation of effective workplace representation.”
“Facility time is not a luxury. It enables union reps to support colleagues, resolve disputes, and hold employers to account. Without it, recognition becomes symbolic rather than real.”
Ms Din added: “Every pound of public money should come with the guarantee that the workers delivering those services have a collective voice. No recognition, no public money.”
