Women teachers facing discrimination and inequality
Women teachers say they are being denied their contractual entitlements on pay and working conditions, a conference organised by the NASUWT, the largest teachers’ union, has heard.
Women teachers from across the country gathered in Birmingham today (Saturday) for the NASUWT’s Women’s Consultation Conference to discuss the challenges facing them as teachers, the impact of the Government’s policies on children and young people and to engage in professional development workshops.
Women teachers raised serious concerns about the systemic unfairness of the arrangements in their schools for managing their pay and performance. Nearly half of delegates said they had experienced discrimination in relation to their pay or pay progression this year.
Delegates also reported a lack of access to professional development and training opportunities.
Chris Keates, General Secretary of the NASUWT, who addressed the conference, said:
“The potential for discrimination and unfairness highlighted by our women members today is deeply worrying.
“The NASUWT has consistently warned that the Coalition Government’s reforms to the teachers’ pay system, coupled with the increasing fragmentation of the school system and the lack of local oversight of schools could increase the potential for discrimination to flourish and for schools to seek to deny teachers their statutory entitlements.
“These statutory entitlements are designed to support teachers to provide the highest standards of education to our children and young people.
“Schools which seek to flout the law in this way are undermining the professionalism of teachers and the entitlement of children and young people to be taught by a well resourced and supported teaching workforce.”
Notes to editors
The Women’s Consultation Conference is an annual event run by the NASUWT. It was held in Birmingham today (11 October) and attended by women teachers from across the UK.
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