Britain’s largest education union is hatching a plot to “undermine Reform UK” and “defend” schools from the impact of a Government led by Nigel Farage with a major recruitment drive.
The National Education Union (NEU) will breach a longstanding Trade Union Congress (TUC) agreement in targeting half a million school support staff to bolster its ranks.
Daniel Kebede, the NEU’s general secretary, outlined the rationale of the plan in an email to staff.
“If we are to mount a successful defence of education not only in the here and now, but also under a Farage government, trade union density for this overwhelmingly female, low-paid and un-unionised section of the education workforce must improve,” he declared.
Mr Kebede emphasised that swelling union membership among support workers was essential, noting that currently only around a third of them belong to a union.
He revealed that the NEU and fellow unions have joined a movement “aimed at preventing Reform from gaining power and addressing the growing influence of far-right street movements”.
“There are plans to help undermine Reform in the run-up to the May elections,” he added.
The union boss announced the plan to staff last month and will present a motion at a special conference on February 28.
Britain’s largest education union is hatching a plot to ‘undermine Reform UK’
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It was billed as “potentially the most significant conference in our history as a union”.
Sources have suggested the move amounts to the NEU effectively seeking expulsion from the TUC by abandoning its commitment not to recruit support workers.
The union’s national executive is expected to vote on ending the agreement next month, breaking ranks with Unison, the GMB and Unite.
Such a recruitment drive would create additional difficulties for Sir Keir Starmer, whose standing within the union movement has already weakened following Andrea Egan’s election as Unison’s general secretary.
General secretary Daniel Kebede has proposed plans to ‘defend’ schools ‘under a Farage Government’
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An NEU spokesperson stated: “The NEU believes all trade unions should work together to ensure every worker in every school is organised and has a union voice.”
The NEU was established in 2017 through the merger of two unions, the larger of which did not include support staff among its membership.
To address concerns from rival unions worried about member poaching, the NEU committed not to actively recruit support workers, despite inheriting tens of thousands from the smaller union in the merger.
“Solidarity is central to trade unionism,” a source critical of the plans explained.
Mr Kebede has outlined plans to breach a TUC agreement and swell the ranks of his union
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“Leaving the TUC will reduce solidarity and reduce the strength of our movement.
“NEU management’s aggressive will to leave is therefore unfathomable,” the insider told The Times.
Elsewhere, those in higher education circles have been weighing up what could be expected from a future Reform administration.
Late last year, it was revealed that top university dons had held meetings with “key people” within Nigel Farage’s party to learn about the “possible implications of a Reform government”.