The government wants to cut teachers pay again. With inflation at nearly 3%, the recommended pay award will be just 1%. In real terms teachers have lost around 17% in their wages over recent years.
It is this kind of totally inadequate response to the problems plaguing education that has led to the teacher recruitment and retention crisis we are now seeing, with 52% of teachers now having fewer than 10 years' experience.
To see what effect these cuts are having nationally, look no further than Schoolsweek's article '5 graphs which reveal why the 1% pay cap puts the education system at "substantial risk"'
As argued by NUT executive member Jess Edwards we should not take this latest insult. The government is weak. On the issue of the public sector pay cap even members of the cabinet have called for it to be lifted. Even the STRB has acknowledged that significant increases are necessary. We need to force the issue. At the general member's meeting this Friday (14th July) we will ask members to back a letter calling on the executive to back a letter to the executive calling for action in the autumn term over this latest pay cut.
Read Jess's blog 'Don't take Tory pay insult - time to strike back on pay'.
Our proposed letter to take to the meeting on Friday is below.
Proposed letter to General Secretary regarding government's latest pay offer (July 2017)
Dear Kevin,
The public sector pay cap has been a contentious issue for some time and it has come to a head since the election with even members of the Conservative cabinet calling for it to go.
In that light, therefore, we are disgusted to see that the government is once again offering a below-inflation pay increase to teachers. With inflation running at nearly 3 times the government’s pay offer this just adds to the 17% cut in real earnings that teachers have suffered over recent years. These cuts in pay alongside the budget cuts to schools are a major part of the reason for so many teachers leaving the profession and so few people joining it.
This cannot be allowed to stand. A weak, divided and nasty government like this must be made to realise that teachers cannot and will not take further pay cuts. The government should show education the respect it deserves and pay its teachers accordingly.
We call on the National Executive of the union to organise a national ballot at the earliest opportunity to take industrial action up to and including strike action against this latest pay insult.
City of Derby Division, National Union of Teachers
It is this kind of totally inadequate response to the problems plaguing education that has led to the teacher recruitment and retention crisis we are now seeing, with 52% of teachers now having fewer than 10 years' experience.
To see what effect these cuts are having nationally, look no further than Schoolsweek's article '5 graphs which reveal why the 1% pay cap puts the education system at "substantial risk"'
As argued by NUT executive member Jess Edwards we should not take this latest insult. The government is weak. On the issue of the public sector pay cap even members of the cabinet have called for it to be lifted. Even the STRB has acknowledged that significant increases are necessary. We need to force the issue. At the general member's meeting this Friday (14th July) we will ask members to back a letter calling on the executive to back a letter to the executive calling for action in the autumn term over this latest pay cut.
Read Jess's blog 'Don't take Tory pay insult - time to strike back on pay'.
Our proposed letter to take to the meeting on Friday is below.
Proposed letter to General Secretary regarding government's latest pay offer (July 2017)
Dear Kevin,
The public sector pay cap has been a contentious issue for some time and it has come to a head since the election with even members of the Conservative cabinet calling for it to go.
In that light, therefore, we are disgusted to see that the government is once again offering a below-inflation pay increase to teachers. With inflation running at nearly 3 times the government’s pay offer this just adds to the 17% cut in real earnings that teachers have suffered over recent years. These cuts in pay alongside the budget cuts to schools are a major part of the reason for so many teachers leaving the profession and so few people joining it.
This cannot be allowed to stand. A weak, divided and nasty government like this must be made to realise that teachers cannot and will not take further pay cuts. The government should show education the respect it deserves and pay its teachers accordingly.
We call on the National Executive of the union to organise a national ballot at the earliest opportunity to take industrial action up to and including strike action against this latest pay insult.
City of Derby Division, National Union of Teachers
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