Biggest teaching union in the country calls for government response to ‘new economic reality of double-digit inflation’
- UK inflation rises to 9.1%, its highest rate in 40 years
- Brexit is making cost of living crisis worse, new study claims
The National Education Union, the biggest teaching union in the country, has written to Nadhim Zahawi, the education secretary, saying it wants “inflation-plus pay increases for all teachers” in this year’s pay round. If the government does not respond, it will ballot teachers in England on strike action in the autumn, it says.
The letter, from the NEU’s joint general secretaries, Mary Bousted and Kevin Courtney, says the government recommendation to the school teachers’ review body (STRB), which was 3%, is out of date. Quoting today’s inflation figures, Bousted and Courtney say “inflation has increased dramatically” since the 3% figure was proposed. They go on:
Alongside the decline in teacher pay in real terms against inflation, it has also declined in relative terms against earnings. Average teacher salaries are at their lowest level compared to average earnings across the economy in over 40 years.
Teachers and school leaders often tell us that workload is their predominant concern. But right now, our members are telling us pay is a big issue too.
You must respond to the new economic reality of double-digit inflation and the threat this poses to teacher living standards. We call on you to commit to an inflation-plus increase for all teachers. It is not good enough to only propose higher increases for beginner teachers (which are themselves likely to be lower than inflation) …
We have to tell you that failing sufficient action by you, in the autumn term, we will consult our members on their willingness to take industrial action.
