Government seeks to claw back NUT success
The NUT has won its claim that the Government should pay the fee required of teachers by the GTC (England) and the GTC (Wales). The STRB has agreed and recommends that a sum of £33 be added to all spine points for qualified teachers after implementation of our recommended pay uplift. The Secretary of State has accepted that but refuses to agree that £33 be paid in full to every teacher required to register.
A numeracy test
Divide and add - add and divide - which is better? If you are a part-time teacher or a supply teacher, the Government wishes to give you only a fraction of the £33 towards your GTC fee.
A worked example: Take a 0.5 part-time teacher on point 5 who would earn £20,547 divided by 2=£10,273.50. The Secretary of State says: £20,547 + £33 divided by 2=£10,290 or £16.50 extra
The NUT says: £20,547 divided by 2 + £33=£10,306.50 or £33 extra
A small difference in pounds - a vast difference in principle. The position of hourly-paid teachers will be even worse.
The government's discriminatory approach
The headteacher of a group 8 school earning £85,704 (mostly male) will get the £33 to pay in full his GTC fee. The 0.5 part-time teacher on Main Pay Scale point 5 (mostly female) earning £20,547 will get only £16.50 to pay only part of her GTC fee.
The NUT's equitable approach
The NUT principle is that there should be no discrimination. The NUT's policy is that every teacher in England and Wales, full-time, part-time and supply, should receive the full £33 to pay the GTC fee. General Secretary, Doug McAvoy, said: "Every teacher should receive the £33. Any other outcome will be discriminatory. Teachers' hopes were raised when the GTC, the Review Body and the Government accepted the NUT's view that to teachers' pay should be added the GTC fee. Teachers' hopes were dashed when the Secretary of State decided to discriminate against part-time, supply and agency teachers."
The NUT has urged the Secretary of State to agree that the £33 should be paid in full to every teacher, full-time, part-time and supply. If she fails to do so, the NUT will advise members to withdraw their agreement to pay the fee. "Members who have yet to give their agreement should wait until further advice."