‘School leaders willing to consider industrial action’

SCHOOL leaders in Wales have sent a strong message that they are willing to consider industrial action over pay.

Teachers in Wales have been offered a below-inflation rise of 5% for 2022-23 following years of what unions describe as pay erosion.

The Association of School and College Leaders Cymru said a survey of its members affected by the 2022-23 pay award showed more than half back running an indicative ballot on action short of strike and nearly half support an indicative ballot on strike action.

ASCL Cymru said in a statement: “We also asked members what steps we should take over the fact that the proposed pay award is well below the rate of inflation and a further erosion of the real value of pay since 2010.

“This included questions on industrial action. There were 132 responses from senior leaders in Welsh schools.”

Asked whether ASCL Cymu should run an indicative ballot for action short of strike action, such as withdrawing from certain tasks, 64% voted yes and 36% no.

Asked whether an indicative ballot on strike action should be run 46% voted yes and 54% no.

The Welsh Government is proposing a pay award of 5% for teachers and leaders in 2022/23 which ASCL described as “a significant real-terms cut compared to Retail Prices Index inflation currently running at 12.3%” and “a further decline in the real value of pay which has already fallen by a fifth since 2010”.

A spokesman said that pay was a major cause of a recruitment and retention crisis which is causing widespread teacher shortages in Wales.

Eithne Hughes, director of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) Cymru, said: “Our members never normally contemplate industrial action, so it shows the current strength of feeling that a majority have indicated that they are in favour of holding an indicative ballot on industrial action short of strike action, and nearly half back running an indicative ballot on strike action.

“There is frustration about the fact that the pay of school leaders has fallen in real terms over the course of many years.

“School leaders are extremely worried about the situation and they have had enough.

“This survey is one part of us consulting with members about what steps we take next.

“But what we would say to the Welsh Government now is that it urgently needs to address teacher pay and school funding because every other educational aspiration and target relies on schools being able to put teachers in front of classes.”