Government refuse to listen - NUT strike going ahead

NUT National Press Release:

After the conclusion of today’s talks, it is with regret that the NUT is announcing that we have no other option but to go ahead with the planned day of strike action on Thursday 30 June.

We regret that the Government has still not yet moved from its position on all the key areas of its planned imposition and therefore the NUT needs to demonstrate the strength of feeling amongst our membership.

There has been no movement from the Government on the central propositions that teachers will have to pay 50% more for their pensions which risks many teachers being forced to leave the pension scheme altogether, work much longer to get a full pension, with any teacher aged 34 or less having to work to 68, and get much less for their pension. 

It would appear from the Government’s press statement that it’s now beginning to recognise that there are particular issues in different pension schemes and intends to have in-depth discussions on the Local Government Scheme. It is disappointing to say the least that it does not recognise the particular circumstances relating to the Teachers’ Pension Scheme. This despite the fact that teachers’ pensions were only recently reformed, are affordable as confirmed by the National Audit Office and the agreed valuation promised in that agreement has still not taken place.

We will of course attend all future talks but for talks to be meaningful the Government really does need to address teachers’ central concerns.

Christine Blower, General Secretary of the National Union of Teachers, the largest teachers’ union, said;

“The Government has done nothing more today other than confirm it has no intention of listening to teachers. They are simply imposing draconian changes that will see teachers paying more, working longer and getting less with no evidence to back up these claims.

“This was an opportunity for the Government  to live up to its rhetoric that it wanted to participate fully in the negotiations and back track from the announcement on 17 June by the Chief Secretary of the Treasury, Danny Alexander, that the Government’s mind was already made up on the changes it intended to make.

“The action on Thursday is unavoidable and unless the Government starts listening rather than simply imposing its will, it leaves us with little choice other than to consider further action.”