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Union teacher pay blast for Blair
From the Bolton Evening News, first published Monday 16th Sep 2002.
A UNION leader has strongly criticised the Government's reluctance to increase teachers' pay.
The National Union of Teachers is demanding a 10 per cent salary increase or a £2,000 boost - whichever is larger - to improve recruitment and retention in the profession.
But the Government has rejected the demand as "unrealistic".
The secretary of Bolton's NUT branch, Barry Conway, claimed a 10 per cent increase would still not be enough and major action was needed if schools in the town were to retain their staff.
He said: "Retention and recruitment is vital. If you want to keep staff, then you have got to pay them.
"The Government is suggesting a pay deal which is tied to far too many conditions and that's not the way forward."
The NUT claims policies intended to attract graduates into teaching, including the £4000 "golden hellos" for those with degrees in the so-called shortage subjects such as Maths or Science, had not worked.
Mr Conway added: "The "golden hello" is crisis politics and obviously hasn't been thought through properly.
"It's not a long term solution and the Government is clutching at straws."
The NUT has argued that a huge rise in teacher training applications in Scotland is due to starting salaries being £18,000 compared to £17,595 in England.
They also claim that a pay gap has widened to the point where teachers five years into their career lag almost £8000 behind their peers in other professions.
A Department for Education and Skills spokesman said: "Unrealistic pay demands just won't wash.
"Teachers themselves have said it is workload that is their top priority and that is why we are working with the unions to bring about real change on that front."
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