TEACHERS’ PAY

25 January 2008

Commenting on the teachers’ pay award, Steve Sinnott, General Secretary of the National Union of Teachers, Europe’s largest teaching union said:

“The National Executive of the NUT has met to consider the ongoing campaign to protect the living standards of teachers and their families and to prevent the damage inflicted by year on year real term cuts to teachers’ salaries.

“Members of the NUT will be balloted as part of its ongoing campaign. Following a successful ballot return teachers could be on strike on 24 April 2008.

“During the last 30 years our schools have suffered from “boom and bust” pay policies. Teachers’ pay has improved in recent years and so too has recruitment and retention. There must be no return to teacher shortages and to pay levels that sap morale.

“To bring the best young graduates into the profession, teachers’ salaries need to be competitive with those for graduates in the private sector. Our children deserve the best.

“Young teachers need to be treated fairly. Paying them at levels which are not competitive with those of other graduate professions and making them unable to take even their first step on the housing ladder will damage recruitment.

“Teachers will wish to play their part in ensuring that young people are encouraged to become members of the best and most important of all the professions.

“I call on the Government to think again and ensure that teachers’ salaries at least keep pay in line with inflation”.