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The row between education staff and Government deepened this week, as headteachers confirmed plans for industrial action in protest over “significant pay degradation” amid an “unprecedented crisis in recruitment and retention”.
98% respondents to a ballot run by the Jersey branch National Association of Headteachers (NAHT) voted in favour of ‘action short of strike’, while 86% said they supported a full strike.
The union confirmed on Tuesday evening that it had given the Government seven working days’ notice of headteachers’ intention to start industrial action.
If the States Employment Board – the panel of politicians which acts as public sector workers’ official employer – fails to revise its below-inflation offer of 7.9%, headteachers say they will stop engaging with Government requests and strip back their out-of-hours work from Wednesday 5 July.
Carl Howarth, President of NAHT Jersey, said the union had been “given the very strongest mandate by our members to take all necessary action to protect and sustain the future of education in our island.”
“Our members have suffered significant pay degradation over a number of years and the employer has agreed that our data is accurate,” he continued.
“Moreover, it is vital for the population of Jersey to know that we are facing an unprecedented crisis in recruitment and retention within education. A good education is the bedrock of a society's success and as the island's educational leaders, we are making clear this is at risk."
Results of a 2021 survey released last April showed that teachers were working on average eight weeks a year for free, and that three in five had considered leaving their jobs.
A request made under the Freedom of Information Law in September also found that more than 100 supply teachers had to be drafted into secondary schools in the 2021-22 academic year alone, and that £1m was spent on that cover in just two years.
Paul Whiteman, NAHT’s General Secretary, said the recruitment and retention “crisis” was being fuelled by below-inflation pay deals mixed with an “unsustainable increasing workload”.
The April 2022 staff survey found that teachers were working on average an extra eight weeks per year for free, and that fewer than half of staff felt well paid for what they do.
Pictured: The most common reasons behind why teachers had thought about leaving.
“Our members have now said loud and clear that enough is enough. Going out on strike is the last thing we want, but without decisive action by the Government in Jersey to settle this dispute our members may be left with little choice if they are to secure a fair deal and protect children’s education now and in the future,” Mr Whiteman said.
Rob Kelsall, NAHT’s Assistant General Secretary, emphasised that, while frustrations are running high, industrial action is not inevitable.
“The Government of Jersey should now come back to the negotiating table with proposals to retain and recruit the very best leaders and teachers for Jersey’s schools and recognise that investment in our education system is an investment in the island’s future prosperity,” he said.
“Industrial action can be averted even at this late stage, and I implore the Jersey government to come forward with a solid offer to resolve this growing dispute with education unions."
It follows decisions to start industrial action by the two other main teaching unions. Parents have been warned to expect disruption as NASUWT members begin cutting back on extracurricular activities and covering lessons.
Pictured: The two main teaching unions are already taking industrial action.
NEU members, meanwhile, have confirmed they will be striking on 5 July. A demonstration of teachers, parents and supporters is planned to take place in the Royal Square, outside the States Chamber.
The NAHT has said that headteachers’ first course of action will be to limit their interactions with Government, and strip back their out-of-hours work – with the exception of work that relates directly to the safety and welfare of children. This action will include refusing to:
submit any risk assessments relating to managing industrial action, save for any concerning vulnerable children or safeguarding,
provide information on staff participating in industrial action, and complete any plan relating to managing strike action,
enter into discussion with senior Government officers relating to any element of the industrial action plan,
attend any training facilitated by the Government,
facilitate any unsolicited school visits or participate in non-statutory consultations, surveys, projects, meetings, government or employers webinars or data requests,
receive or respond to calls or emails from the Government before 08:30 or after 16:00,
attend meetings after 16:00 save for meetings related to matters of safeguarding,
implement any new policy or procedure during the course of industrial action save for matters related to safeguarding, and
pass on any communications to staff and parents that emanate from the Government.
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