Another empty promise from the Liberal Democrats
Commenting on the Liberal Democrats’ statement on public service workers pay, Chris Keates General Secretary of the NASUWT, the largest teachers union in the UK, said:
“The Liberal Democrats are right to raise concerns about the cuts to the pay of those who are delivering vital public services.
“It’s just a pity they didn’t show such concern when in office when they allowed teachers’ pay to be cut by almost 15%, contributing to the current recruitment and retention crisis and leaving teaching unable to compete with other graduate professions.
“Nick Clegg’s statements today about stopping the cuts to public service workers pay and making sure they have an award in line with inflation are meaningless to teachers.
“Thanks to the Conservatives’ changes to the pay system, which Nick Clegg and his ministerial colleagues endorsed, teachers’ pay is now at the discretion of individual schools and employers. Therefore, to promise them pay awards in line with inflation is just another empty gesture that cannot be delivered unless Nick Clegg is also promising to bring an end to the grace and favour pay system he supported.”
Lena Davies
Press & Media Officer
NASUWT
0121 457 6250/07867 392746
lena.davies@mail.nasuwt.org.uk
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