"We've paid for them and we deserve them" say NUT
National Union of Teachers (NUT) the country's largest teachers' union is to ballot for strike action on pensions.
General Secretary Christine Blower, said; “NUT conference sent a clear message to Government that teachers will not stand by as their pensions are eroded. The NUT will ballot members for strike action in the summer term.
“The support for this motion, together with the similar motion passed by ATL conference, demonstrates the strength of feeling across the profession against the Government's plans."
She continued: “The Government threatens teachers and all public sector workers with having to pay more for their pensions, work longer and get less in retirement. Today, NUT conference agreed to reaffirm the NUT's determination to defend public sector pensions and, in particular, to hold the Government to agreements made in 2006. Those led to changes which have made our pensions affordable for the long term – the National Audit Office has confirmed that costs are falling as planned – and put a mechanism in place for determining future changes which the Government now wants to abandon.
“The NUT is fully involved in talks with the Government. We will continue to negotiate with the Government, but we are balloting for strike action to help us get a fair deal for teachers."
If the strike goes ahead, there will be few schools across the country that would be unaffected.
“There is still time for the Government to enter serious negotiations and avoid strike action. We've paid for our pensions and we deserve them. Now is the time to defend them.”
April 27, 2011