“Teachers’ patience has run out”

Monday 25 February 2019

“Teachers’ patience has run out” and strike action will be back on the cards if the government’s new pay offer is not acceptable, a major union has warned.

The caution came from General Secretary of NASUWT Chris Keates, as it was announced last week that a planned strike tomorrow in protest over education staff wages was no longer going ahead.

Both the NEU and NASUWT called all their members to action on Tuesday 26 February - a day when the States Assembly meets, with the NEU having pushed for strikes across seven schools: Haute Vallée, Hautlieu, Jersey College for Girls, Grainville, Les Quennevais, Le Rocquier and Victoria College.

The decision came in reaction to wages not keeping in step with rises in the cost of living - something the NEU's General Secretary said he hoped would be resolved during last-ditch pay talks with the Government two weeks ago.

But now the Government is said to have made a new offer, prompting the NEU and NASUWT to suspend their action to consult members. Island schools are therefore expected to open as normal tomorrow.

Andy Woolley, National Education Union Regional Secretary, explained that further pay talks took place between teacher unions and representatives of the States Employment Board (SEB) over three days last week, leading to a new offer.

Pictured: Many teachers voiced their discontent over the pay dispute at the 'March for Fair Pay' on 9 February.

"We believe this new offer should be put to members after a meeting on Monday (25 February) when we are to formally receive it from representatives of the SEB," he said.

The NEU will contact its members shortly afterwards to gain their views on its acceptability. "Although we don’t anticipate a problem on Monday, if there was any negative change to the offer we would immediately re-instate a new date for the action, probably in early March," he added.

“This has been a difficult set of negotiations and the magnificent support of NEU members in the ballot and at the rally on 9 February demonstrates the strength of feeling and has enabled us to demonstrate to the employers of teachers how necessary it is to reward them properly.

“The National Education Union will work constructively to conclude agreement to this dispute in line with its members wishes and needs and to ensure that in future years their standard of living is maintained and improved."

Pictured: Schools should open as normal on Tuesday.

General Secretary of NASUWT Chris Keates added: "It is always the aim of the NASUWT to seek to reach a negotiated outcome to pay discussions.

"To date the States has handled its approach to the teachers' pay award very poorly, leaving teachers angry and frustrated. That anger and frustration resulted in teachers voting for industrial action.

"It is disappointing that it took the notification of industrial action to secure further discussions but nevertheless the States are now back round the negotiating table and in the light of this the Union is prepared to suspend next Tuesday's action.

"The States should be in no doubt however, that if next week's discussions do not result in progress towards a better deal for teachers, industrial action will be back on the cards as teachers' patience has run out."

Pictured: Strike action could be back on the cards if the Government's new offer is not acceptable, Mr Keates said.

A Government of Jersey spokesperson said they "welcome the decision by the teaching unions to suspend their planned strike..., in order to continue negotiations".

Civil servants, meanwhile, are expecting a revised offer today. The Government of Jersey declined to comment on this, saying: “Jersey’s government has agreed that while discussions and mediation with unions are underway, neither side will make any public statements. The government is holding to this agreement."

The news of the teaching strike suspension comes just as a major teaching union in Scotland has set a date for potential strike action.

Staff had been offered a 9% increase with a further 3% next year to be funded by the Government but the deal was voted down by Educational Institute of Scotland members, who had previously demanded a 10% rise.