Matt Wrack, a former leader of the firefighters’ union, has been elected as permanent general secretary of the NASUWT teaching union after a ballot in which less than 5% of eligible members voted.
He beat his challenger, Neil Butler, winning 5,249 votes to his rival’s 3,126, after the NASUWT’s first contested leadership election for a generation.
The union had previously announced that Wrack had been elected unopposed, but it was put to the ballot after Butler, the NASUWT’s national officer for Wales, launched a legal challenge to the executive’s decision.
Wrack, who led the Fire Brigades Union for 20 years, thanked NASUWT members for placing their trust in him. “NASUWT is a proud and powerful voice for teachers, and together we will make that voice even stronger. Now, our priority is unity and action.
“Teachers have endured years of underinvestment, overwork, and undervaluing of our profession. We urgently need government to invest in education – that means fair pay, manageable workloads, and safe, respectful working environments for staff and students.
“I will work tirelessly with our executive and activists across all nations to secure the conditions and respect teachers deserve. This is a critical moment for education, and NASUWT will lead the way in fighting for our members’ rights.”
Wayne Broom, the NASUWT national president, said: “This election engaged our members up and down the country, and the result reflects their confidence in his leadership.
“Matt will play a vital role in the next chapter of the union’s work on behalf of teachers across the UK. The national executive and I look forward to working closely with him as we continue our mission to put teachers first.
“We also want to thank Neil Butler for standing in this election and for his ongoing service to NASUWT – his dedication exemplifies the strength of this union’s democracy.”
Wrack was named as the executive’s preferred candidate for general secretary in March. Under NASUWT rules he would have automatically filled the position if no other candidate received enough nominations from local branches.
Butler’s initial attempt to collect nominations was ruled out on the grounds that, as an employee, he was not a member of the union. He launched legal proceedings and the NASUWT backed down shortly before a hearing at the high court. Wrack was named acting general secretary and nominations were reopened.
Only 4.7% of the NASUWT’s 178,306 eligible members took part in the ballot. Daniel Kebede, the general secretary of the National Education Union, was elected in 2023 on a 9% turnout.
