National Education Union: Industrial Disputes

(asked on 5th May 2023) - View Source

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent discussions she has had with the National Education Union on industrial action by its members.


Answered by
Nick Gibb Portrait
Nick Gibb
This question was answered on 16th May 2023

The Government and the education trade unions took part in a period of intensive talks between 17 March and 23 March, where ministers and officials spent over 200 combined hours working with the unions to reach an agreed position. An in principle offer was made of a one-off payment of £1,000 for this year, and a 4.5% pay award for 2023/24, alongside a range of non pay offers.

It is disappointing that the education trade unions rejected this offer, and that the National Education Union has since organised two strike days in April and May, with three more due to take place in June or July. Final decisions on teachers’ pay for next year will now be made following the independent pay review process.

The Department recognises teachers’ invaluable work. This is why the Department implemented the recommendations of the independent School Teachers’ Review Body for this academic year. This gave teachers the highest pay award in 30 years, going up to 8.9% for new teachers, alongside a 5% award for experienced teachers and leaders.

The Government is on track to deliver a £30,000 starting salary for teachers as per the manifesto commitment, ensuring teaching is a financially competitive career option within the graduate labour market. The Department has already increased teachers’ starting salaries to £28,000 this year. This year, the Department expects around 40% of classroom teachers to receive pay rises through progression or promotion, of between 8.5% - 15.9%. For experienced classroom teachers at the top of the pay scale, roughly a third of our classroom teachers, there is a strong starting salary with earnings of at least £43,685. Average classroom teacher pay of £39,500 remains significantly above the national average for full time employees, sitting within the top 40% of earners.

There is also a strong pay package for head teachers. The average primary head teacher earns £67,400, whilst the average secondary head teacher earns £94,900. These average salaries are in the top 10% of earners (full time employees in England).

Alongside this, teachers benefit from a Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS) which is significantly more generous than the private sector average, with a 23.6% employer contribution in the public sector Defined Benefit schemes. The TPS is a defined benefit scheme, which means that members receive a guaranteed, index linked income in retirement. The TPS has a generous employer contribution element, provides insurance benefits, and is underwritten by HM Treasury. The TPS exists as a valuable incentive to enter teaching and a significant inducement for continuing in service. It compares very favourably with private sector pension schemes and most other forms of investment.

For the average classroom teacher on a £39,500 salary, the total remuneration package including the 23.6% employer pension contribution is worth £48,800.

We are committed to do more to ensure teaching remains an attractive profession. This includes tax free bursaries worth up to £27,000 and tax-free scholarships worth up to £29,000, to encourage talented trainees to train in key subjects such as chemistry, computing, mathematics and physics.

We have also introduced a Levelling Up Premium worth up to £3,000 tax-free for maths, physics, chemistry and computing teachers in their first five years, who work in disadvantaged schools.

This is part of a wider package of new measures to make teaching in England even more attractive to the best teachers and trainee teachers from around the world.

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