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“The sharpest eyes in education” - “Outstanding support” - “A measurable improvement in teaching & learning” “Excellent grasp of the sector & beyond” – “Evidence based opinions” Collectivists Functionalists and Critics: Photo: Paul Davey/Demotix/Corbis, The Guardian What do Teachers think of their Unions? #Union. Because //@LKMco Loic Menzies Director: LKMco loic@lkmco. org // 07793 370459 // @lkmco Research funded by edapt (UK) www. edapt. org. uk “Society should ensure that all children and young people receive the support they need in order to make a fulfilling transition to adulthood” linfo@lkmco. org - +44(0)7793 370459 - @LKMco – www. lkmco. org. uk

“The sharpest eyes in education” - “Outstanding support” - “A measurable improvement in teaching & learning” “Excellent grasp of the sector & beyond” – “Evidence based opinions” Overall aim: To give teachers a voice in the debate over the role and legitimacy of unions Research questions - Why do teachers join unions? - How do teachers chose their union? - What is it like not being in a union? - What support do teachers ask for from their unions? - How do teachers feel about the support they receive? - How do heads interact with unions? - How satisfied are teachers with their unions? - How do teachers feel about unions - How have recent events affected teachers’ views on their unions? “Society should ensure that all children and young people receive the support they need in order to make a fulfilling transition to adulthood” linfo@lkmco. org - +44(0)7793 370459 - @LKMco – www. lkmco. org. uk

“The sharpest eyes in education” - “Outstanding support” - “A measurable improvement in teaching & learning” “Excellent grasp of the sector & beyond” – “Evidence based opinions” Key finding - Typology of three types of attitudes towards unions - Collectivists - Functionalists - Critics Note: - Other typologies exist: (Mac an Ghaill, 1992; Troman, 1996) Danger of “reifying what is a loose classification system” (Fullan, 1982) “Society should ensure that all children and young people receive the support they need in order to make a fulfilling transition to adulthood” linfo@lkmco. org - +44(0)7793 370459 - @LKMco – www. lkmco. org. uk

“The sharpest eyes in education” - “Outstanding support” - “A measurable improvement in teaching & learning” “Excellent grasp of the sector & beyond” – “Evidence based opinions” Background - Most unionised profession - average for UK = 27%, Education = 52. 3% (Archur. J 2010), Df. E/Certification Office (2010) suggests 130%! - Dropped in other sectors but maintained in education - Links between unions and effectiveness (Eberts & Stone 1987; Raham 1999), cost (Machin & Wadhwani 1991; Metcalf, 2003; Hoxby, 1996) productivity (Feldman, 2000), attainment (Seelman, Powell & Carini, 2000), stability and turnover (Pfeffer & Davis. Blake, 1990). - “Reform unionism” (Moore Johnson, 2004; Henderson, 2004; Moe, 2011) “Society should ensure that all children and young people receive the support they need in order to make a fulfilling transition to adulthood” linfo@lkmco. org - +44(0)7793 370459 - @LKMco – www. lkmco. org. uk

“The sharpest eyes in education” - “Outstanding support” - “A measurable improvement in teaching & learning” “Excellent grasp of the sector & beyond” – “Evidence based opinions” The Project Medium scale survey - Aim: to identify broad trends amongst a range of teachers - 22 nd Jan to 22 nd Feb - 384 respondents, (self selecting) - Specific sections for heads, non union members, independent school teachers - Lots of open answers - Analysis by group and qualitative methods applied to open answers – (coded descriptively categorised) Interviews - Aim: To probe trends, unpack ambiguity and explore determinants of variation - Sampled to include different groups - 22, semi-structured phone interviews (10 -30 mins each) - Coded to link responses to themes from survey “Society should ensure that all children and young people receive the support they need in order to make a fulfilling transition to adulthood” linfo@lkmco. org - +44(0)7793 370459 - @LKMco – www. lkmco. org. uk

“The sharpest eyes in education” - “Outstanding support” - “A measurable improvement in teaching & learning” “Excellent grasp of the sector & beyond” – “Evidence based opinions” Survey respondents Promoted in a range of ways to ensure broad range of respondents - Press (TES, Guardian, Times) - Blogs and social media - Co-operation from NAHT and ASCL - Teach First mailing list - Snow ball sampling Sample characteristics - Secondary teachers over represented - Leadership unions over represented - Teach First teachers over represented - Heads and senior leaders over represented - Males over-represented - Conservatives under-represented - More than 50% had over 10 years teaching experience - 30% were active union members and 46% had strong views on unions and only 11% of these were Conservatives “Society should ensure that all children and young people receive the support they need in order to make a fulfilling transition to adulthood” linfo@lkmco. org - +44(0)7793 370459 - @LKMco – www. lkmco. org. uk

“The sharpest eyes in education” - “Outstanding support” - “A measurable improvement in teaching & learning” “Excellent grasp of the sector & beyond” – “Evidence based opinions” Semi structured Interviews - 22 randomly selected to fill quotas from sub groups “Society should ensure that all children and young people receive the support they need in order to make a fulfilling transition to adulthood” linfo@lkmco. org - +44(0)7793 370459 - @LKMco – www. lkmco. org. uk

“The sharpest eyes in education” - “Outstanding support” - “A measurable improvement in teaching & learning” “Excellent grasp of the sector & beyond” – “Evidence based opinions” Key findings - High levels of satisfaction with unions, the support they provide and the experience of interacting with them - Ambiguity of ‘support’ - Do unions improve education? - The impact of recent events - Substantial variation amongst teachers in terms of what they want from their unions: Collectivists, Functionalists and Critics “Society should ensure that all children and young people receive the support they need in order to make a fulfilling transition to adulthood” linfo@lkmco. org - +44(0)7793 370459 - @LKMco – www. lkmco. org. uk

“The sharpest eyes in education” - “Outstanding support” - “A measurable improvement in teaching & learning” “Excellent grasp of the sector & beyond” – “Evidence based opinions” Why do teachers join unions? - Protection very important (more than 80% ‘very important’, less - “Collective bargaining” and “collective voice” important (approximately half very important). Info on developments in teaching practice and pedagogy, Right to industrial action and campaigning least important (around 1/3 ‘not important’) - than 1% not important cf. all other areas less than 60%) “Society should ensure that all children and young people receive the support they need in order to make a fulfilling transition to adulthood” linfo@lkmco. org - +44(0)7793 370459 - @LKMco – www. lkmco. org. uk

“The sharpest eyes in education” - “Outstanding support” - “A measurable improvement in teaching & learning” “Excellent grasp of the sector & beyond” – “Evidence based opinions” Why do teachers join unions? Support in case of allegations Support in case of employment disupte (e. g. capability) Collective bargaining to improve pay and conditions Wanting a strong collective voice for the profession Providing information about pay and conditions Raising the professional status of teachers Employment advice Providing information about policy changes Campaigning on wider education issues (e. g. Cyberbullying) The right to participate in industrial action Very important Important Providing information about developments in teaching practice and pedagogy Not important Other -40 -20 0 20 40 60 80 “Society should ensure that all children and young people receive the support they need in order to make a fulfilling transition to adulthood” linfo@lkmco. org - +44(0)7793 370459 - @LKMco – www. lkmco. org. uk 100

“The sharpest eyes in education” - “Outstanding support” - “A measurable improvement in teaching & learning” “Excellent grasp of the sector & beyond” – “Evidence based opinions” The most important thing… What is the most important thing unions should do? (most frequently referenced categories in 239 coded open responses to this question) Support and protection Individual support and protection Legal and employment support and protection Pay, conditions, rights and collective bargaining Representing and providing a voice Information and advice Campaigning Research and improving education Communication & accurately representing members But what is support? 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 “Supports your views nationally” R: 1727167115 – Survey “Support the teaching profession” R: 1724668494 – Survey “Support teachers in their career development and progression” R: 1724884278 - Survey “Support teachers both on an individual basis and collectively” R: 1705452840 – Survey “Collective and individual cover” R: 1724883509 – Interview “Society should ensure that all children and young people receive the support they need in order to make a fulfilling transition to adulthood” linfo@lkmco. org - +44(0)7793 370459 - @LKMco – www. lkmco. org. uk 160

“The sharpest eyes in education” - “Outstanding support” - “A measurable improvement in teaching & learning” “Excellent grasp of the sector & beyond” – “Evidence based opinions” How do teachers chose their union? “Yeah they (ASCL) tend to, they’re more constructive” R: 1703580962 – Interview “they are on the left hand side of a political debate, that is something that does appeal to me” R: 1710864076 -Interview “The biggest factor for me was what the biggest union was in my school” R: 1700429363 – Interview Choice factors and changing union Agree with their approach to their work Agree with their political standpoint Friend or colleague's recommendation Which union had most members in your school Free first year Who the union rep was at your school Changed % (n=138) Cost Not changed % (n=170) Special offers 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 “Society should ensure that all children and young people receive the support they need in order to make a fulfilling transition to adulthood” linfo@lkmco. org - +44(0)7793 370459 - @LKMco – www. lkmco. org. uk

“The sharpest eyes in education” - “Outstanding support” - “A measurable improvement in teaching & learning” “Excellent grasp of the sector & beyond” – “Evidence based opinions” How do teachers chose their union? Changing union - Many teachers change union Have you ever changed the union you were a member of? (n=308 - excludes N/A) Yes 45% Initial Choice No 55% Changers’ reasons Often fairly random: “When I joined the first union I joined up because it was easiest to spell. It was the NUT “ R: 1711396318 –Interview Change of role Politics, policies and union. . . (of which explicitly) Striking (of which explicitly) Pro striking Quality of service (of which explicitly) Rep Cost Setting 49 33 13 1 24 12 4 4 0 20 40 “Society should ensure that all children and young people receive the support they need in order to make a fulfilling transition to adulthood” linfo@lkmco. org - +44(0)7793 370459 - @LKMco – www. lkmco. org. uk 60

“The sharpest eyes in education” - “Outstanding support” - “A measurable improvement in teaching & learning” “Excellent grasp of the sector & beyond” – “Evidence based opinions” Interacting with unions Why did you call on your union's support? What did your union do? Respondents referencing top categories (n = 138) (references to top categories from 140 respondents) Advice and information Advice or information Redundancy, dismissal, capbility, tribunal Supported meetings Bullying Inneffective, dissatisfied or nothing Medical (e. g. stress) Allegation Legal support, Involved in grievance, appeal, or case Pay Wrote to or spoke to relevant person Working conditions Dissatisfied 5% Very Dissatisfied 8% Neither 8% Satisfied 20% Very Satisfied 59% Involvement of rep School structure Campaign, strike, ballot, local meeting or conference Industrial action Out of court, compromise, mediation Equal rights and discrimination 0 10 20 30 40 0 20 40 60 80 100 “Society should ensure that all children and young people receive the support they need in order to make a fulfilling transition to adulthood” linfo@lkmco. org - +44(0)7793 370459 - @LKMco – www. lkmco. org. uk

“The sharpest eyes in education” - “Outstanding support” - “A measurable improvement in teaching & learning” “Excellent grasp of the sector & beyond” – “Evidence based opinions” Why are teachers so satisfied with union support? - 80% who received support are satisfied with it, (60% of them are ‘very satisfied’) “ It was very important to feel that someone was on my side” R: 1704679638 – Survey “Life at school became more bearable” R: 1711487399 – Survey “The NUT representative gave me moral as well as practical support. If it had not been for him I would probably have had a breakdown. ” R: 1724668494 – Survey Because… “the bully was terrified of the union rep because she really 'knew her stuff” R: 1705207853 - Survey “Well it’s having people there to know what’s going on because they’re local and that can come up with answers, know the way to go round to get things done but also then has the back-up of the region offices and the full-time officials there” R: 1711448224 – Interview Reservations - Inaction - Under-skilled reps “Society should ensure that all children and young people receive the support they need in order to make a fulfilling transition to adulthood” linfo@lkmco. org - +44(0)7793 370459 - @LKMco – www. lkmco. org. uk

“The sharpest eyes in education” - “Outstanding support” - “A measurable improvement in teaching & learning” “Excellent grasp of the sector & beyond” – “Evidence based opinions” Heads interactions Frequency of heads' interactions with unions in the last year Weekly More than once a. . . About what? Other Bullying Unfair dismissal Monthly Every 2 -3 months Most Pay 2 nd Allegation 3 rd Conditions 4 th Capability 5 th 1 -3 times a year Performance. . . Less than once a. . . Industrial action 0 Never 0 5 10 15 20 10 20 30 40 50 25 How satisfied were heads… Very dissatisfied Dissatisfied Neither Satisfied Very Satisfied 0 10 20 30 40 “Society should ensure that all children and young people receive the support they need in order to make a fulfilling transition to adulthood” linfo@lkmco. org - +44(0)7793 370459 - @LKMco – www. lkmco. org. uk

“The sharpest eyes in education” - “Outstanding support” - “A measurable improvement in teaching & learning” “Excellent grasp of the sector & beyond” – “Evidence based opinions” Feelings about unions… "Joining a union is valuable & worthwhile" (n=306) Strongly disagree 3% "Overall I am satisfied with my union's work" (n=307) "Overall my union provides value for money" (n=307) Strongly disagree 3% Disagree 6% Strongly disagree 4% Disagree 7% Disagree 5% Strongly agree 35% Neither 20% Agree 37% Strongly agree 26% Strongly agree 30% Neither 15% Neither 22% Agree 46% Agree 41% “Society should ensure that all children and young people receive the support they need in order to make a fulfilling transition to adulthood” linfo@lkmco. org - +44(0)7793 370459 - @LKMco – www. lkmco. org. uk

“The sharpest eyes in education” - “Outstanding support” - “A measurable improvement in teaching & learning” “Excellent grasp of the sector & beyond” – “Evidence based opinions” Satisfied… with what? Advice on contracts and employment Making decisions about and co-ordinating industrial action (e. g. strikes) Communicating info. to teachers about developments in teaching practice/pedagogy Communicating info. to teachers about policy changes Communicating info. on pay and conditions Campaigning on wider education issues (e. g. cyberbullying) Raising the professional status of teachers A voice for the profession Collective bargaining to safeguard and improve pay and conditions V. satisfied % Support in Employment disputes Not satisfied % Support in Allegations V. dissatisfied % -20 0 20 40 60 80 “Society should ensure that all children and young people receive the support they need in order to make a fulfilling transition to adulthood” linfo@lkmco. org - +44(0)7793 370459 - @LKMco – www. lkmco. org. uk 100

“The sharpest eyes in education” - “Outstanding support” - “A measurable improvement in teaching & learning” “Excellent grasp of the sector & beyond” – “Evidence based opinions” Does it matter? “Society should ensure that all children and young people receive the support they need in order to make a fulfilling transition to adulthood” linfo@lkmco. org - +44(0)7793 370459 - @LKMco – www. lkmco. org. uk

“The sharpest eyes in education” - “Outstanding support” - “A measurable improvement in teaching & learning” “Excellent grasp of the sector & beyond” – “Evidence based opinions” Unions and broader education… A voice for the profession (n=303) Campaigning on wider education issues (e. g. cyberbullying) (n=298) Very Dissatisfied 3% Dissatisfied 5% Neither 16% Not satisfied 4% "Education in the UK is better as a result of the unions' work" (n=307) Very dissatisfied 2% Very satisfied 20% Very satisfied 39% Strongly disagree 7% Disagree 13% Strongly agree 19% Neither 43% Satisfied 31% Satisfied 37% Neither 29% Agree 32% Criticisms - Lack of attention to broader issues - Intransigence - Under-representativeness - Protecting bad teachers - Party political “Society should ensure that all children and young people receive the support they need in order to make a fulfilling transition to adulthood” linfo@lkmco. org - +44(0)7793 370459 - @LKMco – www. lkmco. org. uk

“The sharpest eyes in education” - “Outstanding support” - “A measurable improvement in teaching & learning” “Excellent grasp of the sector & beyond” – “Evidence based opinions” The political divide - Both Labour and Conservative teachers satisfied overall - 54% of Conservatives satisfied with collective bargaining cf. US: 81% of Republicans satisfied in this area (Moe 2011 p. 91). - 41% gap in agreement that “education in the UK is better as a result of the unions” (17% of Conservatives cf. 58% of Labour) “Society should ensure that all children and young people receive the support they need in order to make a fulfilling transition to adulthood” linfo@lkmco. org - +44(0)7793 370459 - @LKMco – www. lkmco. org. uk

“The sharpest eyes in education” - “Outstanding support” - “A measurable improvement in teaching & learning” “Excellent grasp of the sector & beyond” – “Evidence based opinions” "Joining a union is a necessary rather than desirable decision" Strongly disagree 5% Disagree 13% Strongly agree 34% Neither 13% "I would prefer not to be a member of a union if there were alternative support available" Strongly agree 10% Agree 35% Strongly disagree 29% Disagree 25% Agree 14% Neither 22% “Society should ensure that all children and young people receive the support they need in order to make a fulfilling transition to adulthood” linfo@lkmco. org - +44(0)7793 370459 - @LKMco – www. lkmco. org. uk

“The sharpest eyes in education” - “Outstanding support” - “A measurable improvement in teaching & learning” “Excellent grasp of the sector & beyond” – “Evidence based opinions” The impact of recent events Have there been any changes in your feelings towards the unions over the course of the last year? More positive; 22% Less positive; 24% No; 53% “Society should ensure that all children and young people receive the support they need in order to make a fulfilling transition to adulthood” linfo@lkmco. org - +44(0)7793 370459 - @LKMco – www. lkmco. org. uk

“The sharpest eyes in education” - “Outstanding support” - “A measurable improvement in teaching & learning” “Excellent grasp of the sector & beyond” – “Evidence based opinions” Summary Collectivists Functionalists Critics Around a quarter of our sample 15% of our sample - Strong feelings about unions - Satisfied. “Joining a union valuable and worthwhile. ” - Not necessarily dissatisfied- like functionalists, wanted support and got it. - Unions improving education - Being a member every teacher’s duty. - Satisfied (or prefer more pro-active stance) - Contribute to the greater good and/or crucial to defending workers’ rights. - Positive about strikes “the word union by definition means collective” R: 1724883509 – Interview - Unions not improving education (but that’s not the point of them- campaigning not generally important) - Education in the UK not better as result - Back up, fight corner, protect. Could do this individually or collectively - Prefer alternative/ not in union and consider alternative - 1/3 not prefer alternative, 1/3 prefer an alternative, 1/3 undecided - Don’t like strikes “the only reason most teachers are actually in unions is because of legal protection and liability…It’s not to do with the politics behind it” R: 1703580962 – Interview 5 -10% critics and actively dissatisfied or already left/never joined “They do the profession such damage” R: 1704447359 – Survey Any comments? Please contact: loic@lkmco. org // www. lkmco. org. uk //@LKMco #Union. Because “Society should ensure that all children and young people receive the support they need in order to make a fulfilling transition to adulthood” linfo@lkmco. org - +44(0)7793 370459 - @LKMco – www. lkmco. org. uk