NEU comments on remit letter to STRB on teacher pay

Commenting on the Government’s remit letter to the School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB) ahead of the 2022/23 pay round, Kevin Courtney, Joint General Secretary of the National Education Union, said:    

“As RPI inflation climbs above 14% and teachers struggle to cope with the cost-of-living crisis, the Government's remit to the School Teachers' Review Body confirms its plans to continue cutting teacher pay in real terms.    

“Teachers had already seen the real value of their pay cut by a fifth since 2010, even before this year's inflation spike.  This year's increase of 5% for most teachers represented another big real-terms cut to teacher pay.  Teachers need a fully funded, above inflation pay increase to restore the pay lost in real terms, but the Government has shown that it has no intention of repairing the damage to teacher pay.   

“Instead of focusing on the impact of inflation on teachers, the Government's remit letter focuses on its own inflation target which is currently just 2%.  With RPI inflation predicted to be almost 7% in late 2023 according to the Treasury's own average of forecasts, a pay increase of 2% would be another devastating cut to teacher pay.  This would intensify teacher recruitment and retention problems that are already critical, when the Government should be valuing teachers and recognising their crucial contribution to economic recovery.     

“Instead of funding the pay increases teachers need, the Government is cynically using its own inadequate funding levels to justify more attacks on teacher pay.  Once again, the Government is restricting the STRB's remit to prevent the objective, evidence-based review of teacher pay we need - a review that must not be constrained by the Government's inadequate funding envelope.   

“Years of austerity and pay cuts have hit teachers and the education service hard, but all this Government has to offer is more of the same.  It has no evidence to support its political choice to attack teacher pay.  The NEU campaign for the funding that schools need, and the pay teachers deserve, based on the evidence and the real lived experiences of teachers, will continue.”