Teachers’ September pay increase to be reviewed

20 April 2007 

Under pressure from Britian’s biggest teachers’ organisation, the National Union of Teachers, the Teachers’ Review Body has agreed to ask the Government for permission to look again at this September’s imposed pay settlement for teachers throughout England and Wales.

The Review Body has accepted that the current headline rate of inflation at 4.8 per cent is well above the point which triggers the possibility of the settlement being re-opened. That figure is 3.25 per cent.

The inflation level compares with a planned increase of just 2.5 per cent, effectively a significant pay cut which could lead once again to teacher shortages threatening children’s education. It follows a similar increase last year. If the Government agrees, the Review Body will examine the increases for both years.

Steve Sinnott, NUT General Secretary, said: “Teachers have faced boom and bust in their pay levels for more than 30 years. They are given a boost only to see it eroded by inadequate settlements and inflation. We are determined that will not happen again.

“For some months it has been clear that the imposed settlement was inadequate against increasing levels of inflation.

“The review body has a built in ability to ask the Government for permission to re-open the settlement once inflation reaches more than 3.25 per cent. At 4.8 per cent there is no doubt that teachers will lose out and the profession and thus children’s education will be vulnerable.

“Schools have faced teacher shortages in the all too recent past and they do not want to go back to a position where they are scouring the world to fill the gaps. Unless teachers are paid proper professional salaries that is the picture that could emerge.”