Work advice wanted (school)

To be honest, that's a bit too broad a question.

There will be loads of different bits of law involved in different areas. You seem to be saying that there are a few different issues going on - a restructuring, and a move to academy status.

If you could give more detail on the changes, we could probably give more specific advice.

It looks like you are just talking about teaching staff, but presumably support staff (and probably their union, most likely Unison but maybe some GMB) are going to be affected as well.

You mention job cuts, but also pay cuts or demotion. I can't really see how teachers could be getting their pay cut unless there is some sort of retention payment being cut, or unless some teachers move grades in the restructuring.

In general, if staff are very divided, between different unions and those not in unions, and people won't stick together then your friend will be very limited in what they can do.

However, school staff potentially have a lot of industrial power (as if they strike, parents have to miss work to look after their kids) so there is definitely potential to fight this and win - in many areas, for example there are effective no compulsory redundancy agreements for teachers. If people want to take strike action as well, the NUT will often pay strikers' for wages for the duration of the dispute.

The best thing for your friend to do would be to try to get a meeting for all staff, in all unions and those not in the union, including support staff and try to get people talking about resisting it collectively.

If a dispute gets going, they should try to enlist the support of pupils, parents, possibly governors and the community as a whole.

Where is the school? Depending on where it is there may also be outside groups which can help, like Solfed, AF or some local radical group.

The Anti-Academies Alliance also has loads of information on campaigning against academy status, you should check out their website:
http://www.antiacademies.org.uk/

What do the parents feel about it becoming an academy? There's been quite a good campaign in Deptford against one led by a number of parents. Attacks on staff working conditions has always been one of the central planks of their arguments: http://sayingno.org/cms/academies/tidemill-primary-school/

You could try sending a pm to choccy.

In terms of pay cuts the losses would be from losing Head of Year/Head of faculty positions. I don't see how those two positions can be realistically merged though, is that definitely happpening?

In terms of working conditions then your friend needs to speak to the union about legal aspects to start with (depending on the rep they might be helpful or not) As Steven. said there are lots of bits about employment law. In general they can't simply demote someone, iirc they have to offer redundancy/retirement so the person can 'choose' a demotion, if the demotion is accepted then often there are periods where they must receive their previous salary and there are often rules about subsequent job openings at that level being given to demoted people.

Bit of a plug, but SolFed's running workplace organiser trainings, and some of the people involved in the training are working and organising in schools, so it's probably worth your friend dropping them an email to discuss things. The thrust of the training is how to build up independent organisation, across any existing unions and including non-union staff.

The other thing I'd say is, of course, Steven's right what you want is a meeting across staff to discuss a response. However, it sounds like in your friend's situation may be a bit tough to get a big turnout. Don't let that discourage. Even if s/he can only get 3 of you out to the meeting (how employees does the school have, btw), let that be the starting point.

In terms of direct actions, how big is the groups you said were "actively" opposing this? Is there anyway they might be able to begin putting pressure? Refusing voluntary duties (lunch duties, for example), what about trying to raise a collective grievance about job descriptions (since it seems a lot of extra responsibility seems to be going around), or beginning to risk accessing the fuck out of everything because of the increased workloads? How about symbolic actions, boycotting an end-of-year party, for example.

Also, if you don't mind me asking (feel free to PM), where is this school? As JK alluded to, SF has three training planned between now and summer, so perhaps we could get your friend to one of them.