Staff rooms and WhatsApp groups of teachers have been alive with discussion in response to Labour’s announcement on teachers’ pay.
For decades, Tory and Blairite Labour governments alike have hidden behind the School Teachers Review Body (STRB) recommendations on pay, instead of entering negotiations with teachers’ unions. The STRB is a government-appointed ‘independent’ body of ‘experts’.
Soaring inflation
Even last year, as inflation soared, the Tories insisted they could offer no more than the measly 5% recommended by the STRB. Teachers might be forgiven for thinking that when the 2023 recommendation was released, the government would be true to form and stick to it.
But no.
In the face of the strike wave, the STRB appears to have shown more independence than ever before. Though the Tories are refusing to publish the report, it has been leaked that it recommends 6.5% for 2023. This still falls short of the NEU’s claim for an inflation-proof pay rise, but is higher than the 4.5% the Tories offered.
The Times reported that Tory prime minister Rishi Sunak is preparing to reject this recommendation, as it is allegedly too high and would set off a ‘wage spiral’.
But outrageously, that is also the response of Labour’s Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves! She refused to say she would honour 6.5% and told the Press Association that “I’ve always been very clear that Labour’s fiscal rules are absolutely non-negotiable”.
This is a clear warning that a Starmer government has no intention of paying workers decent wages either. One Socialist Party member commented: “This has opened up a lot of discussion on the local reps chat. Gave me an opportunity to mention the TUSC” (Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition – the anti-austerity electoral alliance in which the Socialist Party participates)
It is the massive strike action taken by teachers this year that forced the Tories to the negotiating table, and that can win acceptable pay rises from whoever is in power. But this underlines once more the importance of union’s developing a political strategy too: we need a party that will fight in our interests!
James Ellis, NEU member, said:
“Both Tories and Labour have shown that they want to prioritise profiteering businesses over education. A 6.5% offer would still be a real-terms pay cut based on current inflation levels – but they won’t even commit to that! The Tories follow the STRB recommendations when it suits them, but are happy to ignore the ‘independent advice’ when it doesn’t. It proves what we’ve always known – cutting public sector pay is a political choice.
Greedy profiteering
“The idea that our wages need to be suppressed to tackle inflation is ridiculous. Our wages are 20% lower in real terms since 2010 – yet inflation is rocketing! Greedy profiteering capitalists are causing inflation, not public sector workers. The government should be taxing profits and the super-rich to fund education – not the other way around. The funding and recruitment crisis in schools is only getting worse – any decision to inflict yet more cuts on pay and budgets will directly affect our most vulnerable students.
“Labour shows absolutely no sign of supporting education workers. They are more interested in trying to show the boss class that they are a ‘safe pair of hands’ for capitalism. How about instead showing our profession that they care about our students’ futures?”
