Coronavirus diaries provision with emphasis on following strict hygiene and a commitment to scale it back if student numbers decrease.
Vik Chechi-Ribeiro Science teacher Vik Chechi-Ribeiro is lead rep at the Co-op Academy Manchester and across the Co-op Academies Trust, which has 25 schools in north England. The reps’ group across the trust has been co-ordinating action during the Covid-19 crisis, as Vik describes in this diary. 9 March Coronavirus comes up during a staff briefing. Following events in Europe, it is clear that school closures are imminent and we need to get organised quickly. I set up WhatsApp groups to send key messages and share experiences for members and reps across the trust. 16 March As the number of infections starts to increase nationally, we need to move quickly while trust protocols are being formed. I consult trust reps and our demands include: n no disincentive to self-isolation n vulnerable staff able to work from home n pay protection for agency and supply workers n cancellation of non-essential meetings. Trust reps are asked to co-ordinate action and send the demands to their own heads. We email members to arrange school emergency coronavirus meetings. 17 March The trust agrees: n to pay as expected for agency and supply workers during self-isolation and closure periods n to allow at-risk groups, or those living with them, to work from home n that coronavirus-related absences will not count towards sick days. 18 March The Department for Education announces closure of schools and how they are to be used 14
23 March We ask the trust for internal HR processes to be suspended and normal pay provided for all coronavirus-related absences. 25 March I speak with a support staff rep who is organising precarious supply/agency workers. I share our successes in a video call of almost 100 NEU reps and activists.
“We need to move quickly while trust protocols are being formed.” for emergency childcare provision. I consult our trust reps and put forward our demands. 19 March Our position to the trust includes the need to operate on a volunteer rota system with safe staffing levels and strict hygiene protocols; to lobby Government to provide Covid-19 testing; and to protect our community from financial hardship. The trust agrees: n rotas based on ‘fit and willing’ volunteers n pay as expected for agency/supply members, including teaching assistants n those at risk, or living with those at risk, and self-isolating households to work from home n staff willing to volunteer can bring their children to school n paid overtime for staff working over Easter n lead on supporting low-income families with vouchers n first aider and fire marshal on site. 20 March I share successes with members, reps and activists. I also raise the need to shape education after the crisis – for example, making the pause in Ofsted inspections and high-stakes testing permanent, and ending child poverty. 21 March The academy publishes its protocol and volunteer rota for emergency childcare
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26 March A school has opened without on-site cleaning staff. The rep tells his head this is unacceptable and the school will need to shut unless strict hygiene protocols are followed. I state this position to our trust and it later agrees to scale space to the absolute safe minimum and seek cover from nearby academies. Another school is expecting staff working remotely to complete a log of tasks. We contact the head and the trust stating our opposition, pointing towards the agreed protocols on trust and co-operation. The trust suspends most HR processes including disciplinary, capability, redundancies and restructuring. It agrees that absence due to coronavirus-related symptoms will be on full pay and not taken from sick day allowances. 31 March Some members working from home have received a daily monitoring form. The rep sends her head guidance from the union and I contact the trust stating our opposition. The head agrees it will no longer be required. 3 April Within three hours of the Ofqual announcement on the assessment of exam grades, I am able to contact our reps’ network raising issues such as the under-prediction of Black and working class students. This is acknowledged and will feed into the trust’s discussions on Monday. I am asked to share my experiences organising and building a members-led rep network across a multi-academy trust alongside our general secretaries and 500 participants at the NEU reps’ video meeting. n Vik recently won rep of the year for the North West region and best new activist award at the Black educators’ conference.
