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Socialist Party members in Education

This term has started just as last term finished: school staff under intolerable pressure from incessant workload and Covid absences. Yet in return for all our efforts, our real incomes are sharply falling as the cost of living rises. Fuel prices are set to rise further, as are the costs of mortgage payments.

Many support staff and supply colleagues are already struggling. The hourly rate of a newly qualified teacher working 50-60 hours a week, but being paid less than £2,200 a month, is at minimum wage levels.

Years of below-inflation pay awards show how little value is being placed on both educators and education by this government. It’s time to demand change. We deserve better. Education deserves better.

Between now and July, the School Teachers’ Review Body will be deliberating over what pay increase they will recommend teachers get in September 2022. Once again, this government will be telling them to keep any increase to a minimum. They certainly won’t be looking to match an inflation rate that could soon be as high as 7%. In short, we are set for another pay cut – unless we take action to win our pay demands.

The NEU executive wants to know how strongly you feel about how badly educators are being treated. That’s why a survey is being sent out to the email address of our union members from 14 January.

It’s vital that members return the survey and say ‘yes’ to action on pay.