NUT News 6

4 Feb 2003

A message to all teachers on the forthcoming Review Body report

YOU[R] PAY

The Government is about to publish the STRB Report. Your pay is likely to be frozen at inflation level, perhaps for three years. This is no surprise. The Government has said consistently that the cost of remodelling would be met by holding back teachers pay. In its Remit Letter of 18 December 2002 on Workload, the Government said: "There is a balance to be struck between money for teachers` pay and money for measures which help achieve manageable workloads, while also supporting improvements in standards." It made the same link in September 2002, again in October 2002 and finally in its letter of 24th December to the Review Body about affordability.

So everybody knew. But still ATL, NAHT, NASUWT, PAT and SHA signed the Government`s agreement which said: "Not all the cash increase will be available to schools to spend on workforce reform. There are a number of identified pressures ­ inflation (on pay and non­pay costs) ­ inflation at 2.5% (but including 4% for support staff pay in 2003­04)."

eneral Secretary, Doug McAvoy, said: "Only the NUT could oppose the attempt of Government to have you pay for the remodelling Agreement. The Agreement omits key recommendations on workload from the Review Body. Many of the `reforms` will increase teachers` workload. To expect teachers to fund such so called modernisation through a restricted pay increase is unacceptable."