85% of teachers with disabilities say they are worried about
their financial situation, with the cost of living crisis and
years of real terms teachers’ pay cuts compounding the financial
vulnerabilities typically experienced by workers with
disabilities.
Members attending the NASUWT-The Teachers
Union Disabled Teachers’ Consultation Conference
today in Birmingham and online reported the continuing struggles
they are experiencing, both financially and also in terms of
discrimination and prejudice in the workplace.
A real time polling session of delegates found that:
· Three-quarters
say they have been subjected to ableism from their employer;
· 80% said
they have been prevented from progressing in their careers due to
their disabilities;
· 60% feel
ableist attitudes and abuse have increased in the past 12 months.
Dr Patrick Roach, NASUWT General Secretary,
said:
"Year on year pay cuts by the government have left many disabled
teachers in a desperate position and worried about their
finances.
The failure to provide a real-terms pay increase to teachers is
hitting disabled teachers particularly hard as their finances are
more likely to be precarious than non-disabled workers due to the
prejudice they experience.
“Our evidence shows that disabled teachers are more likely to be
struggling to make ends meet, more likely to need access to
in-work state benefits, and more likely to be accessing food
banks regularly. Disabled teachers are also less likely to gain
access to pay progression and promotion in schools, but more
likely to be forced out of their jobs by school employers who are
unwilling to meet the costs of making reasonable adjustments for
staff.
“If the Government is committed to equality for disabled teachers
then the Chancellor must ensure that school budgets are not only
protected, but increased in real terms.
“We also need to see stronger regulation from the Government
to guarantee rights for disabled teachers and a mandatory duty on
employers to publish data on their disability pay gaps and
action plans.
“The Government cannot continue to expect disabled teachers to
pay the price for the cost of living crisis and further spending
cuts.
“Our members are clear that disabled teachers and all teachers
deserve a real pay rise. The Government needs urgently to act
on teachers’ concerns or face the prospect of industrial
action in the new year.”
