Since its election in 1997 the Labour government's policy has sought to promote a "new professionalism" amongst teachers. First mooted at the time when new performance management arrangements were introduced, the discourse of new professionalism has now become closely associated with the "workforce remodeling" agenda in which teachers' work is being reconfigured and increased use is being made of support staff to undertake work previously performed by teachers. Promotion of the new professionalism agenda derives in large part from an alliance between the state and some teacher unions under the banner of a social partnership.