Union calls for teacher pay increase

The National Education Union has called for a “significant” increase in teacher pay to help address a “growing crisis” in teacher recruitment and retention.

As part of its evidence submitted to the School Teachers’ Review Body, the National Education Union is calling for an immediate five per cent pay award for all teachers to begin the process of restoring pay levels in both real and comparative terms.

The union is also calling for pay levels which remain competitive in the longer term with other professions and reward teachers fairly; a common pay increase for all teachers, recognising that different pay awards for different groups are ineffective and demotivating; and additional government funding for all schools to help them implement the award.

Kevin Courtney, joint general secretary of the National Education Union, said: “The National Education Union believes that the damaging cuts to teachers’ pay must be reversed. Pay should be restored at least to the levels in place before the Government misguidedly imposed its pay freezes and pay limits.

“With schools already struggling with the current funding crisis, we believe that it is vital that Government allocates additional funding to support the pay levels needed to address the recruitment and retention crisis.

“It is essential that teachers are paid properly. This week, the Public Accounts Committee asked the Government to set out a coherent plan for supporting schools to recruit and retain teachers. Action on pay, as well as workload, must be at the heart of this.”