Ruth was originally a lecturer in fashion and textile design in higher, further and adult education.
Ruth Duncan
She trained to become a teacher in 1998 and joined the NASUWT straight away.
Ruth then went to work as the Head of Textiles, Head of Year and an Advanced Skills Teacher of D&T at a secondary school in London.
She loved teaching there, but she did experience a few incidents of bullying and racism in the early years.
However, Ruth always reported these issues to her employer and called on the Union for support whenever necessary.
“I knew from the early stages of my career that I had to put my foot down and say that I will not put up with any unfair treatment,” she says.
Ruth claims her confidence comes from the way that she was raised by her parents, who were part of the Windrush generation.
She is also grateful to Alan Holmes, who was the NEM for her district during the time she was having difficulties in her workplace.
Ruth saw how he dealt with her employer over her case and feels she learned a lot about successful negotiation skills from him.
“I watched how Alan brought the issue to the fore and then made sure that there was a win-win situation,” she says.
“He made sure that the school could put something positive into place, and that I could continue with my professionalism and integrity intact.”
Afterwards, Ruth wanted to do her bit for the NASUWT so she became a School Contact, a School Rep and then the Local Secretary for Harrow Local Association.
She has also sat on our BME Advisory Committee, and joins in the Union’s delegation to TUC Congress and its Black Workers’ Conference each year.
Ruth became a part-time supply teacher in 2014 and that same year decided to apply for the post of NEM for District 22 in Greater London.
She has served as an NEM ever since and also stands in as Local Secretary for three moribund Local Associations, even though she gets no facility time as a supply teacher.
“I think it’s an important role,” she says. “I enjoy being able to share our members’ concerns, pass on useful information and celebrate our achievements.
“Of course, Covid-19 is definitely the biggest challenge for us at the moment, but we have quickly found new ways of working during this difficult time.
“Members have been able to find the latest information on our Coronavirus Hub, take part in webinars on key issues and still attend our Consultation Conferences online.
“It’s the new normal. It’s all very different and we are still learning, but the NASUWT community is still going strong.”
The NASUWT is raising awareness about the achievements of our BME members - both as teachers and activists - as part of our celebrations for Black History Month.