ATL

How ATL works

This page sets out the structure of ATL, as well as information about the Code of Professional Conduct under which the union operates, ATL's Constitution and Rules and its Standing Orders.

Structure

ATL is a fully democratic organisation. Members are actively encouraged to participate in ATL's work at both local and national level (see our Get involved section).

ATL representatives

Every school and college is encouraged to elect an ATL representative. ATL reps act as the first point of contact for members, distribute information, offer on-site support, and maintain contact with branches and ATL's offices in London, Belfast, Cardiff and Edinburgh.

For more information, see our page about representatives in the Get involved section of this site.

Branches

Local branches are normally organised within the same areas as local authorities or groups of unitary authorities. Most branches have an elected committee, headed by a branch secretary. It is the branch that deals with matters affecting local members. The size of the branch varies enormously from a few hundred to several thousand. Most local branches meet once per term.

To contact your local branch, use the drop-down menu at the bottom of the MyATL panel on the right hand side of the website.

Conference

Conference is the main policy-making body of ATL. It meets annually in the week before Easter weekend and is held at a different location each year.

The 600 members who make up Conference include ATL's Executive Committee, together with representatives elected by the branches. The number of representatives each branch can send to Conference depends on how many members it has. There are also opportunities for members to attend as observers.

Conference has the power to pass resolutions which the Executive Committee then implements. Both ATL and Conference are governed by the Constitution and Rules, which can be changed only by Conference itself.

To find out about Conferences that have taken place in previous years, or for information about this year's Conference, see the Conferences section.

Executive Committee

ATL's Executive Committee is elected on a two-year cycle to provide strategic direction and to develop every aspect of ATL's work, policy and benefits. It acts on resolutions passed at the annual Conference and operates through a number of committees (see below).

The Executive Committee comprises up to 80 members and eight national officers, and meets seven or eight times a year in London.

Committees

The Executive Committee operates through a number of advisory, operational and policy committees, which focus on different aspects of the overall work of ATL. These committees consider a wide range of important issues from continuing professional development and conditions of service, to independent schools and special educational needs.

The committee structure provides many opportunities for members of ATL to participate in its activities and to contribute in areas where they have expertise. For more information and to get involved, see the page on committees in our Get involved section.

National officers

ATL has eight national officers, elected by the members: junior vice-president; senior vice-president; president; immediate past president; two honorary treasurers; and two honorary secretaries.

Once elected, the junior vice-president follows a path through the ranks over a four-year period. In their second year they become senior vice-president, in their third, president, and finally they become immediate past president.

There are always two honorary treasurers and two honorary secretaries, one being elected each year to serve for two years.

Every five years there are elections for the position of ATL general secretary. Every member has the right to vote and all elections are by secret postal ballot.

For more information about ATL's national officers, see our who's who page.

ATL's Code of Professional Conduct

ATL's Code of Professional Conduct governs the professional conduct that members should expect from each other.

It would be injurious to the objects or interests of ATL:

1. for any member to take an appointment from which, in the judgement of the Executive Committee, a teacher has been unjustly dismissed

2. for any member to take an appointment in any school/college where, in the opinion of the Executive Committee, the conditions or terms of service are unsatisfactory
   

3. in the case of a dispute with an employer, for any member who has agreed in writing to take a direction from the Executive Committee concerning his/her conduct towards that employer to refuse to act on that direction; but pressure should not be placed on any member to agree to take a direction for action which is against her/his conscience
   

4. for any member to make a report which contains criticism of the work or conduct of another teacher without at the time acquainting the teacher concerned with the nature of it, if it be an oral report, or without showing it, if it be written, and allowing the teacher concerned to take a copy of it. However, there are occasions in which the law requires reports to be made in particular circumstances. The Children Act, for example, requires immediate reports of suspected children abuse without the suspect abuser being informed. Such reports, made in order to comply with a teacher's legal duty, fall outside the scope of this Code, which is intended to establish standards of professional behaviour
   

5. for any member to censure or criticise another teacher in the presence of pupils/students. If any member is guilty of such conduct, then action under Rule 29 of the Constitution and Rules of ATL would be justified.

Note: Rule 29 of the Constitution and Rules states:

"The Executive Committee shall have the power to reprimand or suspend or remove from membership any member who, in its opinion, is guilty of unprofessional conduct or conduct injurious to the Association (including its reputation) or breach of these rules, or the by-Laws or regulations referred to in Rule 62.14, provided always that any member so reprimanded or suspended or removed shall have the right of appeal as set out hereafter (Rule 41) and shall have the right to be heard either alone or with a friend at such appeal."

Before either of the first two clauses above can be invoked, it would be necessary for the Executive Committee to study a full report of the particular circumstances and to communicate its decision to the membership generally.

Clause 3 refers to special circumstances which arise if the majority of members in a particular branch vote by ballot to approve a recommendation made by branch officers, and agreed by the Executive Committee, to take industrial action.

The conscience clause clearly must apply in such circumstances so that no individual member can be instructed by the Association to take action s/he believes is wrong. For those members, (the majority) who wish to take action, Clause 3 provides official Association support and protection against unfair victimisation.

Clause 4 provides basic guidance for teachers/lecturers asked to make a report on the work of colleagues. The main purpose of this Clause is to avoid any misunderstanding or unintentional unfairness to the colleague to whom the report refers. In order to utilise the resources of any institution in the best possible way, there will need to be discussions amongst teachers/lecturers, particularly those in senior management positions. This will sometimes involve a professional assessment of an individual's strengths and weaknesses. It is not the Association's intention to apply Clause 4 to any discussions which are informal and unrecorded. However, if any record is to be kept, or if there is any formal purpose to the conversation, members will be expected to act in full accord with the Code.

A person who has indicated willingness to act as a referee is in a special position: a referee must have discretion as to the extent to which her/his reference should remain confidential.

Clause 5 is a statement of normal professional practice. But a problem can arise if a pupil/student comes to a teacher/lecturer with a criticism of a colleague. The teacher/lecturer may be obliged to listen, it if is a serious complaint and not frivolous gossip, but should not make any comment beyond indicating, if appropriate, that s/he will deal with the matter without delay. S/he should then discuss the matter with the teacher/lecturer who has been criticised and, if necessary, proceed in accordance with Clause 4.

Constitution and Rules

ATL's Constitution and Rules sets out what the aims of the organisation are, and what work it should carry out. It also stipulates how ATL policy should be formulated, who can join as a member and the various functions of ATL's branches, its Executive Committee, its staff and the president.

You can download ATL's Constitution and Rules or alternatively, you can contact ATL's despatch department for a copy, tel: 0845 4500 009, quoting your membership number.

Conference Standing Orders

ATL's annual Conference is the key policy-making body of the union. The Standing Orders set out exactly how Conference will be organised and how decisions will be made.

You can download a PDF of the Conference Standing Orders or, if you prefer to receive a printed copy, please contact ATL's despatch department, tel: 0845 4500 009, quoting your membership number.

For more information about ATL's annual conference, please see the annual Conference pages of this website.