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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Teachers to ballot on pay strikes | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Teachers have escalated their dispute with the government by voting to ballot on a campaign of industrial action over pay, workload and class sizes. | Teachers have escalated their dispute with the government by voting to ballot on a campaign of industrial action over pay, workload and class sizes. |
| The National Union of Teachers (NUT) will ballot members on a series of possible walkouts in England and Wales. | 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 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 NUT is already balloting on a one-day walkout over pay on 24 April. | The NUT is already balloting on a one-day walkout over pay on 24 April. |
| The ballot closes at the end of the month and if successful will lead to the first national strike for 22 years. | The ballot closes at the end of the month and if successful will lead to the first national strike for 22 years. |
| Second ballot | Second ballot |
| Delegates have now endorsed a motion calling for a rolling programme of action if next month's strike is agreed. | Delegates have now endorsed a motion calling for a rolling programme of action if next month's strike is agreed. |
| It also calls for the NUT to draw up a strategy to protect teachers' salaries, reduce their workload and limit class sizes. | It also calls for the NUT to draw up a strategy to protect teachers' salaries, reduce their workload and limit class sizes. |
| The vote gives the union the power to ballot its members on either a series of strikes or lower level industrial action, but the detail of what happens depends on how the second ballot is phrased and whether it is successful. | The vote gives the union the power to ballot its members on either a series of strikes or lower level industrial action, but the detail of what happens depends on how the second ballot is phrased and whether it is successful. |
| Ministers have announced a 2.45% rise for teachers in England and Wales this year, with rises of 2.3% in 2009 and 2010. | |
| But the NUT claims this is a pay cut in real terms because it is below the true rate of inflation. | But the NUT claims this is a pay cut in real terms because it is below the true rate of inflation. |
| Economic climate | Economic climate |
| 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. |
| Ian Murch, from the NUT's ruling executive, warned the PM: "If I were you Mr Brown I would be doing my sums again. | Ian Murch, from the NUT's ruling executive, warned the PM: "If I were you Mr Brown I would be doing my sums again. |
| "You wouldn't like us when we are angry - and we are getting a bit angry now." | "You wouldn't like us when we are angry - and we are getting a bit angry now." |
| And he told Schools Secretary Ed Balls to prepare for a fight, adding: "If I were you Mr Balls, I would put my tin hat on right now." | And he told Schools Secretary Ed Balls to prepare for a fight, adding: "If I were you Mr Balls, I would put my tin hat on right now." |
| NUT president Bill Greenshields said: "We don't do the job for money, but we can't do it without. If a society values its children, it will value its teachers." | NUT president Bill Greenshields said: "We don't do the job for money, but we can't do it without. If a society values its children, it will value its teachers." |
| 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 and was "both fair and responsible in the current economic climate". | She said the pay offer was recommended by an independent body and 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." |
| 'Sleeping giant' | 'Sleeping giant' |
| But Lewisham delegate Martin Powell-Davies warned: "Our members are ground down, our members are being forced out by workloads and low pay." | But Lewisham delegate Martin Powell-Davies warned: "Our members are ground down, our members are being forced out by workloads and low pay." |
| Radnor delegate Mary Compton said: "We are at last waking the sleeping giant which is our union's ability to take strike action and defend state education." | Radnor delegate Mary Compton said: "We are at last waking the sleeping giant which is our union's ability to take strike action and defend state education." |
| Another delegate from East London, Paul McGarr, said: "The government has the money to give us what we need - two words prove that Northern Rock." | Another delegate from East London, Paul McGarr, said: "The government has the money to give us what we need - two words prove that Northern Rock." |
| He added that half a million teachers on strike and marches and rallies in every area could make the government change its mind. | He added that half a million teachers on strike and marches and rallies in every area could make the government change its mind. |