Compulsory Transfer

angeros

Hi,
My VEC are trying to transfer me on a compulsory basis under the 1999 tranfer agreement between the TUI/IVEA. I don't want to transfer as I teach in an adult ed centre and am very happy there. They want me to teach a subject I am qualified to teach on paper but I have never taught this subject and I have never taught in a secondary school before. Am mid way through my teaching career,it would be different if I was just starting out but at this stage the thoughts of it terriifies me.

Does anyboody know of anyway I can refuse to transfer and what would happen if I did refuse (have CID but not permanent)? The union were unable to help me.

Thanks
A very stressed teacher

rainbowtrout

I don't know if you can refuse, someone else on here might know. The VEC do have the right to transfer you to a different centre as you are employed by the VEC and not a specific centre.

Were you given a reason for this transfer?

implausible

Unfortunately, it's part of what you sign up to with the VEC. The VEC is your employer, not the centre. As far as I know, you can appeal it, but the union mustn't think you have much of a chance if they can't help. The usual grounds for appeal would be that you're too far from your new centre or someone junior to you should have been transferred.

angeros

The school I am being transferred to has a surplus of the subject I currently teach. They do not have enough people to teach a core curriculum subject which I have never taught (its 20 years since I studied it). So basically I am being moved out to fix a problem in another school despite the fact that there is no surplus of teachers in my own centre. I was also told when I got my CID that it was to the centre but now when its suits, its to the scheme!

gaeilgebeo

angeros wrote: »

The school I am being transferred to has a surplus of the subject I currently teach. They do not have enough people to teach a core curriculum subject which I have never taught (its 20 years since I studied it). So basically I am being moved out to fix a problem in another school despite the fact that there is no surplus of teachers in my own centre. I was also told when I got my CID that it was to the centre but now when its suits, its to the scheme!

A permanency is never ever to the centre, always to the scheme.
I'm not 100% sure on refusal either, apart from the fact that they can make your life very difficult. I know a teacher with us who was teaching in 3 different centres this year. :eek:
I know we've had transfers in the past also.
Hope things work out.
If you do end up having to go and teach a subject you are not comfortable with, there are plenty of people on here to help and advise you.

angeros

Thanks for the replies. My gripe really is that there is no surplus in my centre so why should I be subject to this transfer agreement in the first place? Does anyone know would that be enough grounds to refuse?

rainbowtrout

Probably not. They need you to teach a subject in another school which you are qualified in. That's probably grounds enough to move you. It doesn't have much to do with whether your own centre is over quota or not.

VECs probably didn't have huge amounts of transfers within their own scheme up until the last couple of years where everything is tightening up.

Delphi91

As has previously been mentioned, in a VEC situation, you are employed by the VEC scheme and not the school, hence you can be moved to where ever there is a need for your subject. If you check your contract, you will find that is the situation. Consequently, you will not be able to refuse to be moved.

The only saving grace that you might have is that somewhere in the back of my brain, I seem to remember reading somewhere that if a VEC intends to transfer you, they have to notify you by the May preceeding the transfer (assuming a September start in a new location). I am open to correction on this - your Union would be able to clarify this for you.

implausible

gaeilgebeo wrote: »

A permanency is never ever to the centre, always to the scheme.

+1

You have no get-out from this angle. Have you tried enlisting your principal/centre co-ordinator to help? S/he might be able to refuse to let you go, but in my experience, in these situations, mainstream wins out over centres nearly every time.

So that leaves you with these avenues to exhaust - distance to your new centre or unfair selection from your present staff as grounds for an appeal; enlisting the help of someone in management; or the chance that the VEC might have screwed up on a technicality.

A colleague of mine was compulsorily transferred into our school and was devastated about it when she first arrived. However, two years later, it's as if she was always there.

Try any options open to you, but remember that a serious option is accepting it, preparing yourself for the new beginning and having a positive attitude.

angeros

They haven't followed the procedure under hte agreement, just wrote me a letter saying I was to be moved. I've do a lot of work over the past few years to gain additional qualifications in the subject I now teach as well as getting a HDip in Adult Ed, now it just seems as if it was all for nothing.

I appreciate I am lucky to have a job in teaching these days but its just the way its all happening seems so unfait. I'm actually the only person qualified in my centre to teach my current subject so am leaving behind unqualified teachers-its ridiculous!

implausible

angeros wrote: »

They haven't followed the procedure under hte agreement, just wrote me a letter saying I was to be moved.

Have you told the union this?!

spurious

I've been transferred twice - once (1990)because of a school closure, the other (1999) for an amalgamation. My VEC gave me an option of places to choose the first time, but maybe this has tightened up now.

I understand the reluctance to 'start' teaching a subject you haven't taught for years, but it could be a whole new aspect on your career. Make sure you get whatever supports, inset etc. are going.

doc_17

will the adult ed centre have to replace you? i.e. will the VEC have to send someone else in to replace you? Or will the existing staff there remain the same?

angeros

Yes but to be honest the Union don't seem to care. There are other people being transferred too.

A person in the school I am being transferred to is taking on some of my hours as she has the subject I currently teach but not the subject on my degree which I haven't used in years, never mind ever taught it and never in a secondary school!

gaeilgebeo

angeros wrote: »

Yes but to be honest the Union don't seem to care. There are other people being transferred too.

A person in the school I am being transferred to is taking on some of my hours as she has the subject I currently teach but not the subject on my degree which I haven't used in years, never mind ever taught it and never in a secondary school!

Is it the transfer itself that is annoying you the most or the idea of teaching the subject in secondary school?
I really feel for you, it seems to be happening a lot in VECs now, more so than before.