A teachers’ union says it is ”committed” to balloting its members on industrial action in the autumn term if an improved pay deal isn’t offered, after seven in 10 members surveyed said they rejected the current proposal put forward by the government.
The Department for Education will award experienced teachers a 5 per cent pay rise from September 2022 but the NASUWT union has previously called for a 12 per cent rise.
Nearly three-quarters (72 per cent) of 8,751 teacher members who responded to a survey carried out by the union said the pay award should be rejected as inadequate or unacceptable.
More than two-thirds (68 per cent) of respondents said they disagreed with or were angry with the proposed award.
Teacher pay strike threat
The union’s general secretary, Patrick Roach, called on ministers to “get around the table to find a solution”.
He said: “NASUWT members had been clear in demanding that we reject the imposition of a below-inflation pay award. This pay offer is yet another pay cut for teachers, which will cause even greater damage to the morale of the profession.
“The government’s proposals fall way short of what teachers are demanding, following a decade of real-terms pay cuts and the current cost-of-living crisis.
”Ministers have refused to respond to our calls for proper negotiations and, once again, we are calling on ministers to get around the table to find a solution.
“However, in the event that there is no improvement, the union remains committed to balloting its members in the autumn term for industrial action.”
The union said a date for the autumn ballot had not yet been set.
Last week the NEU teaching union set a date in September for a preliminary ballot of its members over strike action, amid concerns over teacher pay and the rising cost of living.
The NEU said it will hold the online preliminary ballot on 24 September, to guage interest in possible strike action, with a formal ballot to follow in November.
As part of NASUWT’s survey, it asked teacher members: ”How do you feel about the proposed 2022 pay award?”
Almost four in 10 (39 per cent) said they were angry about the 5 per cent offer, 29 per cent said they disagreed with it and 23 per cent said they were disappointed but believed it was necessary in the circumstances
A total of 6 per cent said they strongly agreed with the pay offer and 3 per cent said they were not sure.
Asked “should the NASUWT reject the pay award as inadequate/acceptable or accept it?”, 72 per cent said “reject” and 28 per cent said “accept”.
The NASUWT has just over 300,000 members across the UK, including teachers and other school staff, according to the latest Tes latest analysis.
Schools struggling with ‘unfunded’ pay rises
School leaders have also warned that a lack of extra funding to cover the pay increases has left them facing budget deficits of tens of thousands of pounds next year.
One leading headteacher told Tes that the pay award announcement had turned an “already tight” budget surplus at their school into a deficit.
Earlier this month the Institute for Fiscal Studies said the cost increases looked ”just about” affordable in 2022-23.
But Luke Sibieta, a research fellow at the institute, warned: “Next year looks much more problematic, however, with growth in funding per pupil expected to fall below growth in school costs.”
A Department for Education spokesperson said teachers will receive the “highest pay rise in a generation” next year and that a double-digit increase would lead to “sustained higher levels of inflation, which would have a far bigger impact on people’s real incomes in the long run”.
“We have accepted the recommendations of the independent School Teachers’ Review Body for the coming academic year and are awarding teachers the highest pay awards in a generation - 8.9 per cent for new teachers outside London - alongside a 5 per cent award for experienced teachers and leaders.
“This year’s pay award is a responsible solution which recognises the hard work of teachers and supports with the cost of living, and the sound management of schools’ budgets. By contrast, double-digit pay awards for public sector workers would lead to sustained higher levels of inflation, which would have a far bigger impact on people’s real incomes in the long run.
“Funding for these pay awards will come from the generous school funding settlement at last year’s Spending Review. The settlement is heavily frontloaded with £4 billion extra going into schools this year and a total increase of £7 billion over the three years up to 2024-25.”
