Teachers’ strike threat over pay and workloads
TEACHERS in Wales are threatening to strike over pay, conditions and pupil behaviour.
The National Association of Schoolmasters/Union of Women Teachers Cymru (NASUWT Cymru) the largest union in Wales representing exclusively teachers and headteachers, has lodged a formal national trade dispute with Welsh Education Minister Kirsty Williams.
It means members could be balloted on pay and conditions including “excessive workload”, “pupils indiscipline” and “adverse management practices”.
The union said Kirsty Williams had failed to address these concerns when raised in previous talks and has requested a further meeting ahead of a possible ballot.
Chris Keates, NASUWT acting general secretary, said the Welsh Government had failed to take action since pay and conditions were devolved in 2018.
“Whilst the government may claim that it recognises the issues and has taken action to address workload, the reality is that there has been no tangible improvement,” she said.
“Schools and employers have simply ignored any workload strategies and guidance issued by government. “Meanwhile excessive workload continues to blight teachers’ working lives and the government has failed to act to ensure that burdens are reduced.”
The NASUWT said its own Annual Big Question Survey (Wales) answered by 1,000 teachers this year showed:
■ 85% regard workload as their top concern with marking and assessment, administrative and curriculum change impacting them most;
■ 73% do not believe that they are paid at a level commensurate with their skills, abilities and experience; ■ more than half say there is a problem with “pupil indiscipline” in their school;
■ 88% report being verbally abused in the past 12 months;
■ 15% report being physically assaulted in the past 12 months and 46% report being regularly shoved or barged by pupils over the same period;
■ 43% report cutting back on food and over a quarter on other essential household items; and
■ three-quarters say their mental health has been adversely affected by their job, two thirds say their physical health has been affected and 73% say they have seriously considered quitting teaching altogether in the past 12 months.
Ms Keates said in “too many schools there is now a flourishing culture of “blame the teacher” for the unacceptable behaviour of pupils”.
“All teachers, in whatever type of school or setting they work, are entitled to a working environment free from violence and disruption. The government is failing to ensure that employers and schools provide this.”
Neil Butler, NASUWT National Official for Wales, said: “In the light of the minister’s unacceptable response, the NASUWT has decided that there is no choice but to lodge of formal trade dispute with the Welsh Government.
“A meeting to discuss the NASUWT trade dispute with the minister will take place at the beginning of December.
“If we cannot secure at that meeting progress which will secure strategies to make an immediate tangible difference to teachers’ daily lives on their issues of concern, then the union will have no choice but to consider balloting members for industrial action.”
A Welsh Government spokesman said: “It’s disappointing that NASUWT fail to mention that the Welsh Government went beyond what the Pay Review Body recommended – delivering 2.75% for all and a record 5% increase for new teachers.
“The Minister was ready to discuss this, and other issues, with the Acting General Secretary earlier this month, however the meeting has had to be rearranged for December.
“This Welsh Government is delivering the single biggest investment in teachers since devolution.
“We also note that NASUWT has ongoing and recent industrial action in each UK nation.”