Teachers strike likely over pay rise

Mar 23 2008

The Government is today urging teachers not to back strike action, warning it will only achieve “disruption to children’s learning”.

The National Union of Teachers (NUT) has announced it will prepare for a ballot of its 255,000 members on a series of possible strikes in England and Wales after a one-day strike planned for next month.

The NUT conference in Manchester demanded that ministers give them a 10% pay rise - or £3,000 for every teacher this September, whichever is the greater.

The proposed April 24 strike would hit thousands of schools in the run-up to millions of pupils taking tests and exams.

But a spokesman for the Department for Children, Schools and Families criticised the vote.

He said: “Strike action can only achieve one thing - disruption to children’s learning.”

“The 2.45% pay award for teachers was recommended to us by an independent pay review body.”

It is “above the current consumer price index inflation rate and the Government’s inflation target”.

“Everybody understands, including teachers, that we need to have a firm control of public sector pay,” the spokesman said.

“Over the last 10 years we have invested in cutting class sizes and expanding the workforce with 38,900 more teachers and over 100,000 more teaching assistants.

“The average class size in secondary schools is about 21 and in primary schools about 26.

“Our reforms have substantially reduced the ratio of pupils taught by adults to give children more individual attention.”

“Whilst we continue to cut class sizes, what is crucial is the quality of teaching and we want children to get more personal attention whether they are taught individually, in groups or as a whole class.

“We have also given every teacher half a day a week outside of the classroom to plan lessons as well as doubled the numbers of support staff to take on admin tasks and free up their time to do what they do best - teaching.”

But NUT general secretary Steve Sinnott insisted that teenagers’ exam preparation would not be affected.

He said: “We would never target youngsters at the crunch end of their education.

“That would be unforgivable. We are not targeting exams - we have avoided exams and so far as I know there are no public examinations taking place on that day.”

Teachers would be able to help pupils plan their revision so they can work on their own on April 24, if necessary, while some staff could decide to teach revision classes.

Mr Sinnott stressed that the ballot has not yet closed so he could not predict the outcome and impact of any possible industrial action.

Ministers have announced a 2.45% rise for teachers in England and Wales this year, with further rises of 2.3% in 2009 and 2010.

The NUT claims this offer represents a real-terms pay cut as it is below the rate of retail price inflation.