Devolution of teachers’ pay risks a ‘race to the bottom’
WALES’ largest teaching union has criticised AMs for supporting the devolution of teachers’ pay, warning it could “result in a deeply damaging race to the bottom”.
Representatives at the NASUWT’s Annual Conference in Manchester warned that pay devolution could worsen the already growing teacher recruitment crisis.
They fear that pay levels are already uncompetitive compared with other professions and could slip behind England.
The Conference called on Assembly ministers to commit to providing teachers in Wales with pay and working conditions which support their work to provide high-quality education for children and young people and future recruitment into the teaching profession.
Chris Keates, General Secretary of
the NASUWT, said: “The NASUWT was pleased to secure the commitment from the First Minister to protect teachers’ pay and conditions following devolution.
“The NASUWT will be holding the First Minister to his commitment that teachers in Wales will not find themselves in a worse or contractual position than colleagues in England as a result of pay and conditions devolution.”
Wales’ First Minister Carwyn Jones has previously issued assurances that when the powers on teachers’ pay are transferred, his government would not use them to reduce salaries.
He told AMs in the Senedd: “As is the case in other areas where pay and conditions have been devolved there’s no question, no question at all, of teachers being paid less than teachers in England.”
The devolution of responsibility for teachers’ pay was included in the most recent Wales Bill taken through Parliament by the Conservative government in Westminster.
“Education is a devolved matter, and it makes sense for the Assembly and Welsh ministers to decide the pay and conditions of teachers’ in Wales,” said Welsh Secretary Alun Cairns at the time.
Rex Phillips, NASUWT National Official Wales, said: “Investing in and supporting the school workforce must be the priority if the year-on-year rise in standards across all phases and stages of education is to be maintained.
“Any attempts to undermine teachers’ pay and contractual entitlements will be received as an exploitation of the workforce which will not only threaten the future of the profession but also, by extension, the education of the children and young people of Wales.
“The NASUWT will resist any moves which result in teachers in Wales becoming second class citizens compared to colleagues in England.”
The motion said: “Conference notes, with deep disappointment, the decision taken by the National Assembly for Wales to support the devolution of teachers’ pay and conditions to Wales.
“Conference maintains that this decision has the potential to:
■ Disadvantage teachers working in Wales because pay levels for workers are much lower than in England;
■ Result in a teacher recruitment crisis because pay levels will become uncompetitive and;
■ Have an adverse effect on the whole of the Welsh economy.”