NUT Survey on Teachers’ Attitudes to Pensions
In the NUT’s June pension ballot 92% of members voted in favour of strike action. Our current survey clearly shows that teachers’ attitude to the Government’s proposals on pensions have not changed with 98% saying the current offer does not go far enough.
In the past week, 6,433 members of the NUT have responded to a survey of teachers’ attitudes to the proposed reform of the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS), including the changes proposed by Danny Alexander, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, on 2 November.
• 98% of respondents felt that the Government's current offer does not go far enough to settle the dispute,
• 97.6% of respondents felt that the Government should carry out a valuation of the scheme, something it has so far refused to do.
PAY MORE
When asked if it is right to pay 50% more for your pension, at a time of pay freeze across the public sector, an overwhelming 97% of respondents said that it was unfair.
WORK LONGER
Teachers are unconvinced by the premise of changing the retirement age for teachers. 84.5% of respondents believe that just 10% or fewer teachers will still be able to work full time in a classroom role until the age of 68. This is the age at which Government now proposes teachers retire in order to get a full pension.
GET LESS
97% of respondents felt that the change to pension indexation is unfair. Teachers had previously believed they were accruing pension with RPI indexation, and the move to CPI has already been enacted without consultation.
Christine Blower, General Secretary of the National Union of Teachers, the largest teachers’ union, said:
“Our snapshot survey shows an overwhelming rejection of the Government’s intention to irreparably damage teachers’ pensions. The profession is very clearly united in its defence of pensions, which we believe are fair and affordable. We are pleased that discussions are ongoing with the education department and we are pressing hard for further concessions, but the current offer does not go far enough. While the NUT will continue to negotiate with Government we remain committed to the TUC day of action on the 30 November”.
END pr149-2011
For further details contact Caroline Cowie on 0207 380 4706 or 07879480061
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