Teaching unions issue joint strikes warning

The National Union of Teachers and the NASUWT announced a “historic agreement” yesterday to mount a joint campaign against changes to their members’ pay and conditions.

The two unions, which between then represent 85 per cent of teachers in England and Wales have called on the Government to meet them for urgent talks.

They object to the failure of the Government to carry out a valuation of the Teachers’ Pension Scheme. The unions believe this valuation would show that changes to their pensions – which will see teachers work longer, pay more and receive less – cannot be justified.

The two unions have also vowed to challenge “unacceptable and excessive” workloads; plans for teachers to receive regional and performance related pay; and threats to jobs arising from funding cuts and curriculum reforms.

The unions claim that teaching jobs have already been lost as a result of funding cuts.

A joint statement issued yesterday said: “Should the Government refuse to take the current opportunity to negotiate sensible arrangements which protect teachers and defend education, then it is our intention to move to escalate industrial action, including jointly co-ordinated strike action and action short of strike action in the autumn.”

NASUWT General Secretary Chris Keates said: “Since the Government came into office, there has been a relentless and unprecedented assault on teachers’ pay and conditions of service. This assault on teachers is damaging standards of education. Our two unions, which represent the overwhelming majority of the teaching profession, are united in our determination to defend education by protecting teachers.”

NUT General Secretary Christine Blower said: “Since coming to power the Government has sought to undermine teachers.

“Occasionally saying we have the best generation of teachers we’ve ever had in no way compensates for the onslaught of attacks and threats to pay, pensions and working conditions.

“We need to stand together to protect our profession and the education system. It is more important than ever that we work together to achieve these goals for all our members.”

Ms Keates told a news conference in London that the Government had plunged the teaching profession into a state of crisis, with 97 per cent of teachers saying the coalition’s policies were not improving education, and a 30 per cent drop in applications from potential new recruits.

Over half of teachers were “seriously” considering quitting and many were only being held back because of the poor state of the economy, she said.

By the autumn term, teachers will be in the second year of a pay freeze and six months into increased pension contributions, meaning real terms cuts of £5,500 for senior staff and £3,500 for those on lower grades, according to Ms Keates

Teachers felt “stunned” by the continued “assault” on their profession, she said.

Ms Blower said the teaching unions would not join any action being planned next month by unions embroiled in the public sector pensions dispute, but would be holding demonstrations and other activities.