Teachers in Wales will be balloted on industrial action over pay later this month, unless their demand for a 12% rise is awarded by the Welsh Government. The Nasuwt teachers’ union issued formal notices to the Minister for Education, local authorities and employers in Wales at lunchtime today (THURS SEPT 29) saying it is in dispute over the failure to confirm a pay award of 12% for 2022/23 year.
The Welsh Government offered teachers a 5% rise in line with England in July, but that has not yet been formally agreed. The Nasuwt described the offer as “an insult” with inflation running into double digits and after 12 years of "pay erosion".
The Nasuwt said it has been left with “no alternative other than to move to ballot members for industrial action”. Similar letters have been sent to the ministers for education in England and Scotland with 300,000 Nasuwt members UK-wide, including more than 13,000 in Wales.
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“In the event that an immediate programme of pay restoration is not confirmed, commencing with a pay award of at least 12% for all teachers this year, the Nasuwt will have no alternative other than to launch a ballot of members for industrial action,” the union said.
In his letter to Education Minister Jeremy Miles the Nasuwt general secretary Dr Patrick Roach warned that children's education as well as teacher recruitment and retention would suffer if a 12% pay award was not agreed.
Dr Roach said: “The offer of 5% for 2022/23 is an insult with inflation running in the double digits and following a decade of real-terms pay cuts to teachers’ salaries. “Teachers need and deserve a fully funded real terms pay award which will begin the process of restoring salary levels.
“The failure to invest in teachers will only further undermine the recruitment and retention of teachers and the continued provision of high-quality education for children and young people.
“Ministers have failed to respond to our calls for negotiations and, once again, we are calling on the government to get around the table to find a solution in order to avert potential industrial action.
“The Government and employers cannot continue to engage the tactics of dodge and delay to the detriment of our members’ pay and living standards. Responsibility for any future industrial action now rests firmly and squarely with government and employers.”
Neil Butler, Nasuwt National Official Wales, described the mood among members as “angry” and morale at “rock bottom”: “Teachers are continuing to pull out all the stops to be there for their pupils while continuing to see the demands on them increase and their pay fall year on year in real terms.
“They are tired of being taken for granted by this government and we believe they are ready to take industrial action if they do not see an immediate commitment on pay.”
He said more was being expected of teachers at the same time as pay has fallen in real terms over the last decade.
“Teachers worked through Covid and blended learning and they are now implementing the new curriculum for Wales and other reforms. So much is expected. It is about time the Welsh Government stumped up.
"The Welsh Government chose to take on pay and conditions so they can’t hide behind their decisions now. The mood is very angry at the 5% offer.
"For the last 12 years teachers have seen their pay frozen or had small rises. Teachers are now at 22.4% worse off than they were in 2010. So much more is being asked of teachers and people are reaching the point where they are saying they have had enough of this.”
Asked whether 12% was a realistic request at a time of economic crisis Mr Butler said it was “reasonable”: “Teachers pay has been eroded in real terms by nearly a quarter since 2010. We are not looking for that to be restored, we are asking for 12%, which we think is reasonable. It’s on the road to a restorative pay settlement.”
Nasuwt's letter to to education Minister Jeremy Miles in full
Dear Mr Miles
I write further to my previous correspondence to you. The Nasuwt is currently campaigning for its members employed in Wales, in all sectors, to be awarded a 12% pay increase for the 2022-23 academic year.
The award of a 12% pay increase is demanded with immediate effect, with the expectation that it is backdated to the start of the present academic year.
The Nasuwt is, or will consider itself to be, in dispute with the government and employers in relation to the issue of teachers’ pay, which is fundamental to our members’ terms and conditions of employment, where our demands have not been accepted.
Any failure to ensure a 12% pay increase for teachers will have serious consequences not only on teacher recruitment and retention, but subsequently on the proper education of children and young people. The most recent evidence shows that 73% of teachers are seriously considering leaving the job, citing pay as a key contributory factor, following 12 years in which the value of teachers’ pay has fallen by more than 20%.
For the avoidance of doubt, in the event that an immediate programme of pay restoration is not confirmed, commencing with a pay award of at least 12% for all teachers this year, the Nasuwt will have no alternative other than to ballot our members for industrial action.
The Nasuwt will continue to support and advise our members on this issue, up to and including inducement to take industrial action, should the 12% pay award not be met.
Yours sincerely
Dr Patrick Roach
General Secretary
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