NASUWT supports ‘Britain needs a pay rise’
Hundreds of members of the NASUWT, the largest teachers’ union in the UK, will arrive in London today from across England and Wales to take part a march through Central London and rally in Hyde Park to call for a economic recovery that works for all.
Organised by the TUC, the Britain Needs a Pay Rise march and rally will see teachers and their friends and families join with ordinary working people and their families to highlight their anger and concern to politicians and the public about economic and social policies which have seen wages slashed in real terms and a huge rise in poverty, homelessness and deprivation.
Chris Keates, General Secretary of the NASUWT, said:
“Teachers, like other ordinary workers, are angry and frustrated after four years of pay cuts.
“Recent independent reports have shown that over 50% of teachers have had to cut expenditure on essential items such as food and over 30% are living on credit and loans.
“Young teachers particularly are struggling as, on top of pay cuts and increased pension contributions, they also have to pay back student loans.
“The cuts in pay are contributing to a growing teacher recruitment and retention crisis. Resignations are up and applications for teacher training are down.
“Teachers are equally concerned about the appalling impact of economic and social policies on the children and young people they teach.
“3.7million children are now living in poverty. Over 84,000 children are homeless. Both figures are rising. Poverty and homelessness have a direct impact on educational achievement.
“Children, young people and ordinary working people and their families deserve better.”
Notes to editors
The march is scheduled to begin on Embankment at 11am and will be making its way to a mass rally at Hyde Park from approximately 1pm. Chris Keates will be one of the speakers at the rally.
For more information on the Britain Needs a Pay Rise campaign visit www.britainneedsapayrise.org
NASUWT analysis of the impact on teachers’ pay of four years of pay freezes and below inflation pay awards shows that:
A teacher in their first year of teaching is £2,551pa worse off than if the pay scales had increased in line with inflation since 2010.
A teacher on point M6 has lost £3729pa since 2010
A teacher on UPS3 has lost £4344pa since 2010.
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