Teachers fight pay cuts
WORKERS, JAN 2006 ISSUE
Teachers in around 150 schools are threatening industrial action over the introduction of new payments for management allowances (TLRs). Most of the teaching unions agreed the new system with the government, but many teachers have only just woken up to the reality of what their unions have signed up to on their behalf. Many will face significant pay cuts (of up to £10,000) in three years' time and reduced pensions in the longer term.
The NUT, the only union not to sign up to the agreement, has run a number of informal ballots in schools where teachers are losing out and so far they have all come out in favour of taking action. A number of disputes have already been settled as a result. Even the NAS/UWT, which signed the agreement, is threatening action in Derbyshire, Southampton, Stoke and Worcestershire, although it has been forced to blame head teachers for applying the new rules wrongly!
So far, formal ballots have been held in 10 schools among NUT members, and all have come out in favour of action. One school, Hipperholme and Lightcliffe High School in Halifax, West Yorkshire, could see teachers walking out before Christmas.