SPEAK UP FOR PUBLIC SERVICES- FAIR PAY FOR TEACHERS

18 December 2007

Commenting on the TUC launch of its “Speak Up for Public Services Campaign”  Steve Sinnott, General Secretary of the National Union of Teachers, Europe’s largest teaching union said:

“Gordon Brown’s commitment to education is evident as is his recognition of the importance of teachers. The Prime Minister has talked of the professionalism of teachers and the need to attract more of the most inspirational graduates from the best universities.

“However his expansive and visionary aspirations for schools and the teaching profession cannot be met without teachers being paid the levels of salary which reflect the high standards of professionalism demanded of them.

“For three years, while teachers have faced numerous Government initiatives making   fresh calls on them, increases in teachers’ pay have been less than the level of inflation. In effect teachers are experiencing a continued, unbroken, period of pay cuts.

“Below-inflation pay increases for teachers merely compound the problems of recruitment and retention. Young teachers, in particular, face extreme difficulty in paying rent let alone supporting a mortgage. The profession has faced 30 years of boom and bust in pay.

“Teachers are being let down. The School Teachers’ Review Body is due to be published. When it is, and if the Government, as feared decides on a pay award less than inflation, the Union will be ready to ballot its members on action.  The NUT is determined to work with all public sector organisations to put an end to this erosion of pay”.