Hi All

We are an independent school, and have decided to leave the Teachers' Pension Scheme due to the significant hike in employers' contribution which the governors have agreed is not sustainable for the business.  We have gone through a very thorough consultation process with affected staff, and the unions have been involved, providing external reps to liaise with staff and management.   

We are now at an appeal stage, and have a handful of staff who have elected to appeal against the decision of the governors.  They have all put forward identical appeal letters which we presume have been supplied by the union.  We have given them the option to appeal individually, or as a group if they wish, and they have chosen the latter.  The external union rep will be in attendance.

All of this is fine.  However, we have an internal staff union representative who is also one of the appellants, who we feel may be exceeding her brief in her efforts to stir up other colleagues, all of whom have made their individual decision whether or not to appeal during the appeal period, which is now closed.  

She is asking for as many staff as possible to attend the appeal hearing, which can't happen under our appeals procedure, which allows for the person(s) appealing, companion, the panel, and a notetaker only, not other staff to just come along.  We feel she is possibly exceeding her brief, in that she is no longer just representing the wishes of the members, but actively stirring matters up.  Is there any guidance anywhere of what the role of an internal staff uion rep should be?  That would be so helpful!

I suppose she could potentially arrange for each of the appellants to bring a companion, and witnesses can be called of course, but I think I am right in saying any witness has to have specific evidence not already under consideration to contribute?  Not just saying the same thing all over again?

Any advice?  Don't want to stifle her right to express views, but then again .....!

Many thanks