National Association of Teachers in Further and Higher Education

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NATFHE
Image:NATFHE logo.png
National Association of Teachers in Further and Higher Education
Founded 1904
Date dissolved 1 June, 2006
Merged into University and College Union
Members 67,000
Country United Kingdom
Affiliation TUC
Key people John Wilkin, final president
Paul Mackney, final general secretary
Office location London, UK
Website www.natfhe.org.uk

The National Association of Teachers in Further and Higher Education (NATFHE) was the British trade union and professional association for people working with those above statutory school age, and primarily concerned with providing education, training or research. In the higher education sector it was mainly concentrated in the Post 92 sector.

In 2004 NATFHE celebrated 100 years since the London-based Association of Teachers in Technical Institutes was formed. ATTI grew and became NATFHE on 1 January 1976. As of 2005 it had 67,000 members.

On December 2, 2005 the results of a membership ballot on a merger of AUT and NATFHE was announced. The merger was supported by 79.2% of AUT and 95.7% of NATFHE members who voted. The two unions amalgamated on 1 June 2006, and then entered a transitional year until full operational unity is achieved in June 2007. The new union is called the University and College Union (UCU).

Until the merger, AUT and NATFHE members in higher education were involved in ongoing 'action short of a strike' - including boycotting setting and marking exams and other coursework in universities and this action continued under the UCU banner. AUT and NATFHE rejected an offer of 12.6% over three years which was made on the 8th of May [1],[2] and a further offer of 13.12% over three years made on 30th May [3],[4]. Concerns grew that students might not be able to graduate in 2006 [5] until the industrial action was suspended at midnight on June 7th while members were balloted on a new offer [6],[7].

On the last day of its final conference NATFHE passed motion 198C, a call to boycott Israeli academics who did not vocally speak out against their government. This was met with condemnation from students[8], the Anti-Defamation League[9], the British Government[10], Nobel laureates [11] and even the AUT [12]. The Academic Boycott Resource Center [13] and Engage [14] provide more information on this final act of NATFHE.

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