Militant activist teacher joins race to lead the NEU
If Daniel Kebede becomes the next general secretary, more school strikes could be scheduled this year
A HARD-LEFT activist is leading the race to take over the leadership of the country’s biggest teachers’ union, raising the prospect of rolling school strikes later this year. Daniel Kebede, a Momentum-supporting Corbynite who works as a teacher in the north-east of England, is campaigning to become the next general secretary of the National Education Union.
Mr Kebede, a militant trade unionist in his mid-30s, has spent his adult life leading and joining protests on issues including racism, the Government’s response to refugees, and the proPalestine movement.
His campaign pledges to create a “united, campaigning union” that must be mobilised “in its entirety” to “take on this shambolic Government”.
He has urged teachers across the country to take strike action, saying: “We need an inflation-plus pay rise that is fully funded. We don’t need more tax cuts for the rich. It’s time for the Government to listen.”
Activists for 101 NEU districts have declared their support for Mr Kebede ahead of the general secretary election, which begins on Feb 6 and runs until March 31. He is running against Niamh Sweeney, a Labour councillor in Cambridge and sixth form college teacher who is seen as a moderate. The winning candidate will take over in September for a five-year term.
They will replace Dr Mary Bousted and Kevin Courtney, who have served as joint general secretaries of the NEU since 2017, when it was formed via a merger of the National Union of Teachers and the Association of Teachers and Lecturers.
Under Ms Bousted and Mr Courtney, there have been no national NEU strikes. The NEU revealed this week that it has met legal thresholds for members to strike over pay in England and Wales on seven dates, starting on Feb 1.
A Newcastle Labour party source, who knows Mr Kebede, said: “In terms of the encouragement that someone like Daniel would give to their membership, I’m certain that he would have a very harsh stance towards a Conservative Government and I’m certain he would push for industrial action during disputes.”
A source close to several school leaders in England said: “If Daniel gets elected, it’s not hard to see how you could envisage the prospect of rolling strikes.”
Mr Kebede said: “My aim is to make the National Education Union strong and influential enough that it doesn’t need to take strike action, by building on the success of our current Gen Secretaries and by reaching out to other unions such as NASUWT.
“If our members are fed up with pay cuts, funding erosion, excessive workload and not being valued by Government and want action I will back them.”