Teachers at one of the North East’s top private schools have returned to the classroom after defending their pensions in a historic strike.
Strike action took place at Newcastle High School for Girls in Jesmond for the first time in its 149 year history in February and March following a row over teachers' pensions.
Members of the National Education Union (NEU) working for the Girls’ Day School Trust (GDST), which has 25 schools around the country, including Newcastle High School for Girls, voted overwhelmingly in favour of the strike after the trust announced plans to withdraw from the Teachers’ Pension Scheme.
The GDST had proposed to remove its teaching staff at these independent schools from the Teachers’ Pension Scheme.
The union said that if that went ahead it would leave teachers at least 20% worse off on average in terms of the annual amount they receive in pension payments.
But following six days of strike action, teachers have won the right to stay in the Teachers’ Pension Scheme and an enhanced pay offer has been made for all staff, teachers and support staff.
The union confirmed that teacher members employed in the 23 independent schools run by GDST have now voted to accept the offer made by the employer after last week’s talks.
However, the NEU and GDST were unable to reach an "agreed negotiated settlement" which has meant the union remains concerned by the remaining proposal to close the Teachers’ Pension Scheme to new teachers.
The union and its members at the GDST trust schools believe this decision by the trust is short-sighted and will lead to recruitment difficulties in the future.
Kevin Courtney, joint general secretary of the NEU, said: "NEU members of the GDST should be proud of the solidarity, resolution and spirit they have shown throughout this dispute.
"In standing up for their rights they were forced to take unprecedented and historic strike action to defend their pensions.
"Our members at GDST, 80% of them women, gave a 'life' lesson in the values that they seek to instil in the girls they educate: being principled, knowing your worth, and standing up for what is right.”
The trust said teachers will have the choice between remaining in the TPS or joining the new GDST Flexible Pension Plan, both options including a pay rise.
Cheryl Giovannoni, CEO, GDST said: “We are pleased that, with the feedback from our teachers and their recognised trade union, the NEU, we have reached a position which teachers have accepted and that gives them a choice on how they wish to receive their total reward, depending on their personal circumstances. Importantly, these proposals are equally conducive to the long-term sustainability of the GDST and our charitable purpose of reaching as many girls as possible, across our family of schools.
"As we said at the start of collective consultation, GDST has always been committed to a full and robust consultation and we have revised our original proposals significantly. Whilst these negotiations have not been easy for anyone in our schools, we have together found a way forward with our teachers that means we can address the challenging financial situation that we, along with many other independent schools across the sector, are facing.
"We are proud to have put forward an offer that is both forward-thinking and sector-defining in its design, since many independent schools have required teachers to take a pay cut to allow them to remain in the TPS.
"Our priority is to our students and ensuring they have all the support they need, particularly those in exam years. We know that young people have faced many challenges over the last few years and we remain committed to doing all we can to support the students in our schools in any way we can. We are currently researching innovative programmes to support students’ wellbeing, building on our innovative programmes in this area.
"We are also committed to working with our Heads, teachers and support staff to restore the spirit that is unique to the GDST community as we move forward together.”
