Record payout as staff are targeted

TEACHERS were awarded record compensation last year, which is thought to be up to £60million.

Payouts were for discrimination, unfair dismissals and attacks by pupils.

One union, the 295,000-strong NASUWT, secured £27.7million – a 72% rise on 2015.

The National Union of Teachers, with 333,000 members, is believed to have won a similar amount.

Some £4.7million went to members of the 125,000-strong Association of Teachers and Lecturers.

In one of the biggest payouts, NASUWT won £455,177 for a 47-yearold who suffered a head injury after a pupil struck her with a skateboard.

Chris Keates, the union’s general secretary, said: “Behind every one of these cases are teachers who have had their careers, lives and health blighted simply trying to do their job.” She accused the Government of giving little incentive to employers to improve working conditions.

She added: “If employers took the welfare of staff seriously these cases would never have to be taken.”

One woman, aged 44, got more than £98,000 for “serious psychological injuries” after being headbutted by a pupil. She was so traumatised she quit teaching.

An analysis showed a 25% drop on health and safety spending by English councils from 2010 to 2015. Ms Keates

Chris Keates

added: “The lack of both appropriate inspection, accountability and enforcement, a role traditionally played by local authorities, is forcing many of our members to seek redress.

“This is symptomatic of a system where some employers feel they can disregard rights, discriminate, fail to meet health and safety obligations and harass and victimise with impunity.

“We are not prepared to allow our members to suffer at the hands of unscrupulous employers.”

Teachers also received payouts due to accidents. One NASUWT member in a young offender institution received £10,100 after inhaling fumes from a product used to soak up blood. The union also secured victories for two teachers discriminated against as a result of working part-time.