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Threat of school strike over pay Teachers back pay strike ballot
(about 7 hours later)
Teachers' unions are throwing their weight behind the opposition to curbs on public sector pay. The biggest teachers' union in England and Wales is to prepare for a strike ballot over the government's 2% public sector pay target.
They are unhappy their current two-year deal of 2.5% rises this year and next has fallen behind inflation - now 2.8%. The annual conference of the National Union of Teachers backed a motion from its leaders to prepare a ballot on a one-day strike with other unions.
The National Union of Teachers (NUT), at its Easter conference, is to debate a priority motion calling for a ballot on a one-day strike with other unions. Unions are unhappy that their current two-year deal with 2.5% rises this year and next has fallen behind inflation.
The government has asked the teachers' pay body to recommend a three-year deal to 2011, with a 2% inflation target. The government says a strike would serve only to disrupt pupils' learning.
The NUT motion, proposed by its leaders, condemns government pay policy as "discriminatory, unfair and demotivating". The Education Secretary, Alan Johnson, has asked the independent School Teachers' Review Body to recommend a new, three-year deal to 2011, paying particular regard to the 2% inflation target.
Headline inflation is running significantly above the 2.5% teachers can expect this autumn NUT general secretary Steve Sinnott NUT executive member Martin Reed said that remit could have been written by the chancellor himself.
It rejects regional pay and the 2% target and says the TUC should seek united opposition. It would mean pay cuts with awards pegged well below inflation, as measured by the retail prices index, of 4.6%.
The campaign against the policy should be supported if necessary by joint industrial action, with a one-day strike "as a first step to protect pay", it says. "This is the biggest challenge we have faced for decades," he told the delegates.
General secretary Steve Sinnott said 2% would mean a pay cut. 'Obscene' bonuses
"Headline inflation is running significantly above the 2.5% teachers can expect this autumn and 2% for each of the next three years will compound the problems." Another executive member, Kevin Courtney, said millions of other public servants were facing the same attacks on their living standards.
The resolution will be debated on Saturday at the union's conference in Harrogate. "We are told this is to keep inflation under control - as if we are causing inflation," he said.
'Standstill award' Strikes only achieve one thing - disruption to pupils' learning Department for Education and Skills He denounced as "obscene", bonuses of £319,000 paid to people in a City firm, which he said were a major contributor to house price inflation.
Pay is one of the few education issues not devolved to the Welsh Assembly, so teachers in both England and Wales would be affected. A teacher from Leeds, Pat Murphy, said the NUT should aim to be part of a coalition opposing government policy, but must be prepared to go it alone if necessary.
The NUT is not involved in ongoing talks with the government on a range of issues as part of the so-called "social partnership". A Lambeth delegate, Sara Tomlinson, said it was now hard to find a home in her area for under £300,000 - beyond the reach of many young teachers.
But ministers cannot expect an easier ride from the majority of unions which are. "The NUT might be the first union to put its name to public sector-wide strike action, but it certainly won't be the last," she said.
Chris Keates, leader of the biggest union, NASUWT, told the Times Educational Supplement they would fight for a higher pay rise. The motion, which was backed unanimously, calls for an awareness-raising campaign.
"What the government doesn't want to do, I assume, is throw away four years of progress," she said. It instructs the union's leaders to "prepare to ballot members for a national one-day strike in co-operation with other teachers' organisations and public sector unions".
The proposal of a three-year deal is to bring teachers' pay into line with changes to school budgets which take effect next year. This would be "the first stage" of industrial action to protect pay.
When the current teachers' pay deal was announced, in December 2005, it was supposed to be above inflation. A spokesperson for the Department for Education and Skills said: "Strikes only achieve one thing - disruption to pupils' learning.
The then Education Secretary, Ruth Kelly, accepted concerns about the need to ensure a continuing supply of teachers. "Teaching remains one of the most respected and rewarding professions, with an 18% real terms increase in the average teacher's pay since 1997."
The NUT described it at the time as "a standstill award". 'Bullying'
A DfES spokesperson said: "Strikes only achieve one thing - disruption to pupils' learning. The conference has also condemned the increased practice of lessons being observed by school managers.
"Teaching remains one of the most respected and rewarding professions, with an 18% real terms increase in the average teachers pay since 1997." Kirklees head teacher Gill Goodsen said she was ashamed, appalled and angry at the actions of some of her colleagues, who were subjecting their teachers to repeated observations.
"At its worst it is bullying, pure and simple."
She did not find it necessary to check on her staff more than once a year.
"I believe I know my school," she said.
"Excessive monitoring can be seen as a sign of weakness, insecurity, fear."