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Respect supports striking teachers |
"The strength of feeling among teachers over pay is clear from the overwhelming vote by members of the National Union of Teachers for a day's strike action on 24 April.
"They are fully justified in taking this action. The government is not only damaging teachers pay packets by imposing a below inflation rise, it is damaging our children's futures. Young teachers in particular, and especially in London, are being driven out of the profession because they simply cannot afford to teach.
"That's why every parent has in interest in teachers winning this battle. The reason why children will not be at school on 24 April is the government and it's skewed priorities. The defence budget is soaring inexorably to pay for the disastrous occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan.
"Other groups of public sector clearly have in interest in supporting the teachers and lectuerers as well. This pay freeze policy - coming at the same time as an economic slowdown - is putting huge pressrue on working people across the country.
"Many of my constituents are telling me that they want to be fighting alongside each other over pay. I support that, and the moves by progressive union leaders to coordinate such action."
George Galloway MP
The decision by 225,000 teachers to take strike action on 24th April over PAY is the culmination of long and fruitless wage negotiations with this Labour government.
At this year NUT’s conference in M/C many young teachers expressed their anger with a pay offer of 2.45%, saying that for many (especially in London but increasingly in all areas of the country) this would mean they couldn’t pay their bills!
"It comes to something when the 4th richest country in the world can’t pay their teachers enough to survive on" one teacher said. This situation has lead to up to 30% of young teachers leaving the profession in their first 5 years of teaching and many more considering leaving for other professions which reward graduates quicker and give them more opportunities for progression.
The NUT has asked the government for a 10% pay rise or £3,000 to off-load the increased price rises in fuel (20%), food (8%), and other price increases. The government has insisted that it can’t afford the wage demand and that ALL public sector workers must accept wage restraint in difficult economic times, but
people will remember that the government quickly found £55 billion for Northern Rock and recently announced it had spent billions on war in Iraq.
The NUT is talking to other public sector unions (UCU, PCS) to coordinate action against the government to secure for their members a fair pay settlement. |
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