Why I am running to be the next General Secretary of NASUWT
I was a firefighter for twenty years, from being a workplace rep for my station, a branch secretary and then, after all those years of activism at the grassroots, I was honoured to be elected as General Secretary. After 19 years service as General Secretary, my time came to an end but I still wanted to stand up for public servants and the trade union movement.
I went through a rigorous process with the NASUWT, a detailed application, shortlisting and a tough interview in front of the whole National Executive. It is an incredible honour that they decided to nominate me and recommend me to members as General Secretary.
Education is vital to our society. But we know that schools are crumbling, resources are scarce and the whole sector relies on your good will and unpaid overtime just to keep its head above water. All while we have an out-of-control Ofsted inspectorate that has hounded school leaders and teachers out of the job they love.
I have served the trade union movement for over twenty years, now I want to serve you.
The recruitment and retention crisis in our schools is unsustainable. Yet the solutions to it are staring us in the face. The NASUWT’s recent report shows the syphoning of money from the education system to academy CEOs, supply agencies and private SEND providers is bleeding us dry. We need to do more than just advocate for our members, we need to show a path forward. We need to devise the solutions and win the arguments for real change.
As President of the Trades Union Congress, a General Secretary for 19 years and a workplace rep for 20 years, I learned how to negotiate with employers and with government ministers and how to win the debate. I want to represent you because I want to win for you and for education.
I know that not everyone likes me – you may have seen that Michael Gove has been telling teachers not to vote for me! But I take that as a badge of honour – I don’t want to be first choice of a man that did so much damage to this profession. I promise to represent your interests, not those of ex-education secretaries who drove a wrecking ball through our schools.
I am proud of my achievements – from winning on maternity pay for female firefighters, to defeating the government in court over age discrimination on pensions. That case has cost the government at least £17.5 billion across the public sector, including thousands of teachers. I led a successful campaign on pay, winning a 16% pay rise over three years, decisively winning a ballot but with no need to take even a day of industrial action.
I have won for public sector workers before, now I want to win for you and with you.
Education is the foundation of our future and we have been let down by successive governments. But together we can show there is a better way. Together we can win for every teacher, pupil and parent. Let’s build NASUWT - the teachers’ union.
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Matt speaks up
