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Teachers to vote over pay strikes | Teachers to vote over pay strikes |
(30 minutes later) | |
Teachers have voted to ballot on a rolling campaign of one-day strikes over pay and class sizes. | |
The National Union of Teachers (NUT) will ballot members on a series of possible walkouts in England and Wales. | |
The move came after delegates at the union's annual conference in Manchester condemned the prime minister's approach to limiting public sector workers' pay. | |
The union is already balloting its members on a one-day walkout over pay on 24 April. | |
Ian Murch, from the NUT's ruling executive, said: "If I were you Mr Brown I would be doing my sums again." | |
He added: "You wouldn't like us when we are angry - and we are getting a bit angry now." | |
Delegates have now endorsed a motion which will enable the executive to call further strikes if a 10% pay rise is not agreed. | |
Ministers have announced a 2.45% rise for teachers in England and Wales this year, rising to 2.3% in 2009 and 2010. | Ministers have announced a 2.45% rise for teachers in England and Wales this year, rising to 2.3% in 2009 and 2010. |
'Boom and bust' | 'Boom and bust' |
But the NUT claims this is a pay cut in real-terms because it is below the real rate of inflation. | |
It wants the government to use the Retail Price Index for its calculations on public sector pay, rather than the Consumer Price Index which is lower. | It wants the government to use the Retail Price Index for its calculations on public sector pay, rather than the Consumer Price Index which is lower. |
Before we reach the bottom of the trough we are doing something about it Steve SinnottNUT general secretary | Before we reach the bottom of the trough we are doing something about it Steve SinnottNUT general secretary |
Speaking before the conference, NUT general secretary Steve Sinnott said teachers had experienced "boom and bust" in their wage packets throughout the 1980s and 1990s. | Speaking before the conference, NUT general secretary Steve Sinnott said teachers had experienced "boom and bust" in their wage packets throughout the 1980s and 1990s. |
Whenever there had been an increase in teachers' pay, inflation always caught up with that rise, he said. | Whenever there had been an increase in teachers' pay, inflation always caught up with that rise, he said. |
"Before we reach the bottom of the trough we are doing something about it," he added. | "Before we reach the bottom of the trough we are doing something about it," he added. |
Mr Sinnott also called on ministers to reconsider the 2.45% offer, urging them to prevent the "sapping of teachers' morale and the recruitment and retention crisis" that will come from real-terms cuts in teachers' pay. | Mr Sinnott also called on ministers to reconsider the 2.45% offer, urging them to prevent the "sapping of teachers' morale and the recruitment and retention crisis" that will come from real-terms cuts in teachers' pay. |
'Fair and responsible' | 'Fair and responsible' |
The motion also calls for the union to draw up a strategy to protect teachers' salaries, reduce their workload and set a limit on class sizes. | The motion also calls for the union to draw up a strategy to protect teachers' salaries, reduce their workload and set a limit on class sizes. |
It should also ease the financial burden and seek funding for state schools at the same level of those in the independent sector. | It should also ease the financial burden and seek funding for state schools at the same level of those in the independent sector. |
A spokeswoman for the Department for Children said strike action would only disrupt children's learning. | A spokeswoman for the Department for Children said strike action would only disrupt children's learning. |
She said the pay offer was recommended by an independent body. She added that the rise for teachers was "both fair and responsible in the current economic climate". | She said the pay offer was recommended by an independent body. She added that the rise for teachers was "both fair and responsible in the current economic climate". |
"Everybody understands, including teachers, that we need to have a firm control of public sector pay." | "Everybody understands, including teachers, that we need to have a firm control of public sector pay." |