NASUWT condemns proposed attack on teachers' pay

NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union has condemned the Education Secretary’s letter to the School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB), setting out the remit for determining the 2021/22 pay award for teachers and school leaders.

The remit as set out by the Minister underlines the Government’s intention to press ahead with a freeze to teachers’ pay and also constrains and undermines the independence of the STRB.

Patrick Roach, General Secretary of the NASUWT, said:

“The minister has sought to justify freezing teachers’ pay by citing the impact which Covid-19 has had on the economy and jobs.

“The NASUWT does not accept that teachers and other public sector workers, who have served on the frontline throughout this pandemic to maintain the essential services we have all depended on, should be made to pay the price of tackling Covid.

“Seeking to constrain the remit of the STRB by limiting them to only examining pay rises for those earning under £24,000 is an unacceptable attack on the independence of the pay body and on the transparency of the process of determining teachers’ pay.

“The Minister states that his priority is improving recruitment and retention of teachers and school leaders, but imposing real-terms pay cuts will not encourage new recruits to the profession or support the retention of experienced and dedicated teachers, for whom this pay freeze is a slap in the face.”