Three education unions – ASCL, NAHT and NEU – are today making a
statement on the School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB) and the
remit given to it yesterday by .
In a joint statement, the general secretaries of the three
unions, said:
“The narrow remit issued to the STRB excludes the crucial and
central issue of teacher and school leader pay, reflecting the
Government's unacceptable pay freeze policy. Teachers and school
leaders are key workers who have already seen their pay cut
significantly since 2010. With inflation expected to increase in
2021, they know that they face another significant real terms pay
cut.
“It's not just teacher and leader pay levels that need to be
addressed. The imposition of performance-related pay, the
dismantling of the national teacher pay structure in England,
high workload and real terms funding cuts have created major
problems. Teachers and leaders have had pay progression
restricted on the basis of issues that are completely out of
their control, such as the funding position of the school. In
recent years experienced teachers and leaders have seen their pay
eroded by below-inflation differentiated pay rises, exacerbating
the supply crisis.
“It is essential that the STRB looks at all relevant evidence
when making recommendations on teacher and leader pay. This must
include the impact on recruitment and retention of previous and
future real terms pay cuts, as well as problems created by
performance-related pay and the dismantling of the pay structure.
The STRB should be asked to say what it would have recommended
but for the pay freeze.
“This remit demonstrates breathtaking complacency on the part of
the Government. Temporary improvements in recruitment and
retention driven by the COVID pandemic do not mean that the
deep-seated problems in teacher recruitment and retention have
been solved. Teachers and leaders have contributed so much to the
country's response to COVID, yet the Government is effectively
using the pandemic to justify further attacks on their pay.
“The Government's attempt to constrain the STRB in this way makes
a mockery of the review body process. This is the School
Teachers' Pay Review Body after all. We need fair pay for
teachers and school leaders and an evidence-based approach.”
Geoff Barton, General Secretary, Association of School and
College Lecturers
Dr Mary Bousted, Joint General Secretary, National Education
Union
Kevin Courtney, Joint General Secretary, National Education
Union
Paul Whiteman, General Secretary, National Association of Head
Teachers
