Agenda Document Pack - Renfrewshire Council Joint Negotiating Committee for Teaching Staff - 25/04/2023
Renfrewshire Council · 25 April 2023
Back to Renfrewshire Council Joint Negotiating Committee for Teaching Staff — 25 April 2023 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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20/04/2023 Notice of Meeting and Agenda Renfrewshire Council Joint Negotiating Committee for Teaching Staff Date Time Venue Tuesday, 25 April 2023 14:00 Corporate Meeting Room 2, Renfrewshire House, Membership Representing Renfrewshire Council Management Councillor E Rodden; Councillor J Paterson; T McGillivray, Head of Service (Inclusion and Quality Improvement)(Joint Secretary); J Calder, Head of Service (Curriculum and School Estate); J Colquhoun, Education Manager (Development); K Henry, Head Teacher, St Andrews Academy; H Paterson, Head Teacher, Heriot Primary School; A Hall, Education Manager (Development); M Thomas, Education Manager (Development); and L Mullin, Principal HR and OD Adviser (Finance & Resources). Representing Renfrewshire Council Teaching Staff K Fella (Joint Secretary), JP Tonner, T Millar, Y Murray, M Russell, D Tollan (all EIS); R Kane(SSTA); L Gibson (NASUWT); and S McCrossan (EIS - Adviser to the Teachers’ side). Further Information A copy of the agenda for this meeting will be available online at: http://renfrewshire.cmis.uk.com/renfrewshire/CouncilandBoards.aspx For further information, please email democratic-services@renfrewshire.gov.uk MARK CONAGHAN Head of Corporate Governance Page 1 of 10
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20/04/2023 Items of business 1 Apologies Apologies from members. 2 Declarations of Interest Members are asked to declare an interest in any item(s) on the agenda and to provide a brief explanation of the nature of the interest. 3 Appointment of Chairperson Consider the appointment of a Chairperson for this meeting. 4 Minute of Previous Meeting Minute of previous meeting, held on 21 March 2023. 3 - 7 5 Matters Arising Matters arising from the Minute of the previous meeting held on 21 March 2023. 6 Wellbeing at Work Report by Joint Secretary (Teachers' Side). 8 - 9 7 Menopause and Special Leave Policy Report by Joint Secretary (Teachers' Side). 10 - 10 8 Date of Next Meeting Members are asked to note that the next meeting of the Renfrewshire Council Joint Negotiating Committee for Teaching Staff will be held at 2.00pm on 6 June 2023. Page 2 of 10
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Minute of Meeting Renfrewshire Council Joint Negotiating Committee for Teaching Staff Date Time Venue Tuesday, 21 March 2023 14:00 Corporate Meeting Room 2, Renfrewshire House, PRESENT Representing Renfrewshire Council Management Councillor J Paterson; and T McGillivray, Head of Service (Inclusion and Quality Improvement) (Joint Secretary), J Calder, Head of Service (Curriculum and School Estate), J Colquhoun, Education Manager (Development) and A Hall, Education Manager (Development) (Children’s Services). Representing Renfrewshire Council Teaching Staff K Fella (Joint Secretary), JP Tonner, T Millar, Y Murray, M Russell, D Tollan (all EIS); R Kane (SSTA); and L Gibson (NASUWT). IN ATTENDANCE S Fanning, Principal HR and OD Adviser and D Cunningham and J Barron, Assistant Committee Services Officers (all Finance & Resources). APOLOGIES Councillor E Rodden; H Paterson, Head Teacher, Heriot Primary School; K Henry, Head Teacher, St Andrews Academy; M Thomas, Education Manager (Development); S McCrossan (EIS – Adviser to the Teachers’ side); and L Mullin, Principal HR and OD Adviser. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST There were no declarations of interest intimated prior to the commencement of the meeting. Item 4 Page 3 of 10
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1 APPOINTMENT OF CHAIRPERSON In accordance with the terms of the local recognition and procedure agreement, which stated that the Chair of the Committee should alternate between the two sides comprising the Renfrewshire Council Joint Negotiating Committee for Teaching Staff, it was agreed that Mr JP Tonner would chair this meeting of the Renfrewshire Council Joint Negotiating Committee for Teaching Staff. DECIDED: That Mr JP Tonner chair this meeting of the Renfrewshire Council Joint Negotiating Committee for Teaching Staff. 2 MINUTE OF PREVIOUS MEETING There was submitted the Minute of the previous meeting held on 7 February 2023. The Joint Secretary (Teachers’ side) asked that his concerns relative to the wording of item 7 in the Minute be noted. DECIDED: (a) That the Minute be approved; and (b) That the concerns of the Joint Secretary (Teachers’ side) relative to the wording of item 7 in the Minute be noted. 3 MATTERS ARISING Under reference to Item 6 of the Minute of the meeting of the Joint Negotiating Committee held on 7 February 2023, the Joint Secretary (Teachers’ side) expressed concern that the Violence and Aggression reporting functionality on Business World was not yet fully operational. The Principal HR & OD Adviser advised the Service was committed to resolving the Business World issues, that he had escalated this matter to his Head of Service and that he would provide details of any developments to the JNC. The Joint Secretary (Teachers’ side) stated that not all teaching staff had received direction or training to use Business World. The Principal HR & OD Adviser responded that an ILearn module was being developed and that he would check the mailing list which had been used for the communication email which had been issued to Teachers in December 2022. DECIDED: That the Business World Violence and Aggression reporting functionality continue to be developed and that the Principal HR & OD Adviser provide an update on any developments to the JNC. 4 WORKING TIME AGREEMENTS: THE ALLOCATION OF HOURS AND TEACHERS’ CONTRACTS There was submitted a report by the Joint Secretary (Teachers' Side) relative to Working Time Agreements (WTA) in respect of JNC3, contracted obligations to attend Page 4 of 10
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parents' meetings. The report intimated that the number of parents’ meetings in some schools exceeded teachers’ contractual maxima and that additional evenings had been incorporated into some school’s WTAs. The Education Manager (Development) advised that requests that all WTAs be shared with the Joint Secretaries had been declined previously on the basis that most were signed off by school-based union representatives. Where this was not the case, school staff could defer to and involve their local secretary. She stated that the WTA annual sampling process, which had been halted during Covid-19, could be reinstated. It was agreed that reminders be issued to all Head Teachers regarding the requirement to comply with the Renfrewshire Council JNC WTA template and that the need for collegiality be emphasized. The Education Manager (Development) advised that the Management side would liaise with HR to review/amend the relevant section(s) of Particulars of Employment to reflect the change from 30 to 40 hours for Reporting Evenings, which had remained an anomaly since school session 2006/2007. The Joint Negotiating Committee agreed that Parents’ Evenings did not constitute Reporting Evenings and that the time allocation for these should not be deducted from that on the WTA set aside for "Open Evenings”. It was also agreed that a review of the current breakdown of hours would be undertaken to ensure more accurate reflection of current practices whilst continuing to protect and support staff wellbeing and management of workload. DECIDED: (a) That it be noted that all school WTAs would not be made available to joint secretaries and that school teaching staff would involve their local secretary to address any WTA issues; (b) That reminders be issued to all Head Teachers regarding the requirement to comply with the Renfrewshire Council JNC WTA template and that the need for collegiality be emphasized; (c) That it be noted that the Management side would liaise with HR to review/amend the relevant section(s) of the Particulars of Employment to reflect the change from 30 to 40 hours for Reporting Evenings; (d) That it be noted that Parents’ Evenings did not constitute Reporting Evenings and that the time allocation for these should not be deducted from that on the WTA set aside for “Open Evenings”; and (e) That a review of the current breakdown of hours would be undertaken to ensure more accurate reflection of current practices whilst continuing to protect and support staff wellbeing and management of workload. 5 ABSENCE COVER AGREEMENTS AND SUPPLY STAFF There was submitted a report by the Joint Secretary (Teachers' Side) relative to absence cover agreements and supply staff, particularly the lack of subject specialist supply staff to cover absences of colleagues in secondary schools, which resulted in additional workloads being experienced. Page 5 of 10
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The report expressed concern at the lengthy recruitment process when filling vacancies. The Education Manager (Development) explained that there were various recruitment and risk mitigatory processes required and that delays were minimised wherever possible. The Joint Secretary (Teachers’ side) requested further discussion on the introduction of a booking system, rather than the current text messaging arrangement, as a means of more efficiently allocating supply staff to schools. The Education Manager (Development) advised that neighbouring Local Authorities had been contacted to establish which systems they utilised and that the Council would be testing a new system in the near future. An update on this would be provided to a future meeting of the JNC. The Education Manager (Development) detailed the numbers of temporary and permanent supply staff and confirmed the Council wanted to maximise recruitment and accommodate as many early career teachers as possible. It was requested that specific supply staff issues be raised as they arose rather that this matter becoming a standing item at meetings. DECIDED: (a) That the Local Authority update the JNC on the outcome of the booking system tested; and (b) That specific issues relative to supply teachers be raised 6 TEACHER ACCESS TO LOCAL AUTHORITY LAPTOPS There was submitted a report by the Joint Secretary (Teachers’ Side) relative to Teacher access to Local Authority laptops. The report advised that outdated IT equipment was being recalled and replaced. The Joint Secretary (Teachers’ side) welcomed this update and modernisation of resources but expressed concern that there could be a shortfall in the number of devices available. The Head of Service (Curriculum and School Estate) confirmed the Council was committed to providing a laptop for every teacher. DECIDED: That it be noted that a device would be provided to each permanent member of staff. 7 TEACHER REMITS There was submitted a report by the Joint Secretary (Teachers’ Side) relative to Teacher remits. The report suggested that some teachers’ remits had been amended without consultation and that some duties, which were previously within the remit of senior staff, were being cascaded to Principal Teachers, particularly those relating to absence management. Page 6 of 10
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The report requested that no Principal Teacher be tasked with managing absence, that this task remained the remit of senior management and that there would be no changes to a teacher’s duties without appropriate consultation and agreement. DECIDED: (a) That it be noted that managing absence remained the remit of senior management; (b) That it be noted that there would be no changes to teachers’ duties without appropriate consultation and agreement; and (c) That it be agreed that any proposed revision of remits arising from organisational change be brought back to the JNC for agreement. 8 DATE OF NEXT MEETING That it be noted that the next meeting of the Renfrewshire Council Joint Negotiating Committee for Teaching Staff was scheduled to be held on 25 April 2023. Page 7 of 10
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Renfrewshire Joint Negotiating Committee for Teachers To: Renfrewshire Joint Negotiating Committee for Teachers On: April 25th, 2023 EIS Report on Wellbeing at Work Report by Joint Secretary (Teachers’ Side) Background The issue of teacher wellbeing is one that concerns both the Teachers’ Side and Management Side in Renfrewshire. The EIS, following resolutions at recent AGMs, has commissioned a paper reporting on the issues around stress and mental health and the supports available in Scotland. The report also investigates some of the issues around workload and its relation to stress and teacher wellbeing. This paper includes EIS survey data, gathered regionally, on teachers’ views on their wellbeing as well as external research on mental health within the education sector. The document serves as a comparator of teachers’ experiences across Scotland and Renfrewshire statistics are contained therein. From these survey results it is clear that poor wellbeing at work and working in a high stress environment is not a new issue, but that it has been exacerbated by the pandemic and the cost of living crisis. This paper also explores views recorded through a series of focus groups conducted as part of this research. From their contributions it is clear that many teachers have been driven to poor health as a result of their working environments: poor support for children with Additional Support Needs, a workload that far exceeds the capacity of the working week, and violent incidents in the classroom are all key issues that need immediate redress. This paper further explores the legal duties placed on employers and how local authorities are reporting on and managing work-related absences as well as highlighting the types of support that are currently being offered to teachers and other school staff. Renfrewshire Council has provided data throughout the Item 6 Item 6 Page 8 of 10
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report along with other local authorities which, collated, gives a national perspective on the issues being addressed. This report highlights the seriousness of the issue. Within the data it is clear that significant numbers of teachers are suffering from poor health because of their working environment– tackling this must be a priority for all working within the education sector, local authority employers and the Scottish government. There are also examples within this report of the range of supports available to address some of the issues. Given the length of the report a link has been attached below for ease of access: Teacher Health and Wellbeing Report - February 2023.pdf Action: The Teachers’ Side commends the report to the JNC. Page 9 of 10
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Renfrewshire Joint Negotiating Committee for Teachers To: Renfrewshire Joint Negotiating Committee for Teachers On: April 25th, 2023 Menopause and Special Leave Policy. Report by Joint Secretary (Teachers’ Side) Background The Teachers’ side and trade unions in general have long campaigned for menopause policies to be adopted within workplaces in recognition of the particular challenges faced by some employees. The Teachers’ Side therefore welcomes Renfrewshire Council’s new ‘Supporting Menopause at Work’ policy in recognition that this phase in life can pose challenges for many employees. We commend all attempts to support affected employees navigate some of the difficulties they may experience. The allocation of up to 5 days of paid special leave entitlement is welcomed, as is and flexibility of approach contained in the policy. Action: The Teachers’ Side is seeking discussion around the additional special paid leave entitlement and its incorporation into JNC 16. Item 7 Item 7 Page 10 of 10