UK ’s biggest academy chain faces vote of no confidence from staff

Education unions representing staff at Academies Enterprise Trust (AET) – the largest academy chain in the UK – are today (Wednesday) launching a ballot asking if employees have confidence in the trust’s leadership. The move comes after AET failed to listen to staff concerns over proposed cutbacks and restructuring. The changes will put the wellbeing of children and workers at serious risk, say the unions. Last ditch talks between seven unions and AET to address concerns over a raft of cuts to services are currently taking place at conciliation service ACAS.* However, unions say AET is attempting to sabotage the talks after the trust broke an agreement to pause changes while a resolution was sought. The government has also been challenged by MPs at the Education Select Committee to publish details of the financial turnaround plan agreed between the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) and the trust.** Unions say the secretive nature of the deal calls into question what conditions AET has signed up to in return for millions of pounds of additional public funding. UNISON head of education Jon Richards said: “AET agreed that restructuring should be paused until ACAS talks were concluded. But AET chose Easter Sunday to break this agreement and announce it would immediately push ahead with outsourcing. “AET is demonstrating a total lack of respect for staff. Its actions are a fundamental breach of trust. UNISON now has no choice but to move to a vote of no co...
Source: UNISON meat hygiene - Category: Food Science Authors: Tags: News Press release academies education Jon Richards Source Type: news