The Westminster Government has the current England-and-Wales system for setting teachers’ pay and conditions within its sights with the aim of “making pay more market-facing for teachers.”

Elaine Edwards, UCAC’s General Secretary said “The Government wants to introduce a system that would pay less to teachers in disadvantaged areas for doing the same job as those in more affluent parts of the country.”

“That isn’t fair to individual teachers or to the profession, and it’s likely to cause shortages of teachers in areas where salaries are lower. These changes will either lead to protracted and acrimonious negotiations about all over the country about local pay levels, or otherwise a decision by the Westminster Government that Welsh teachers should earn less than the vast majority of teachers in England.”

“UCAC members can’t see any sense in a system like that, and the strength of their feelings will be plain to hear during the Conference this weekend.”

Notes

·        UCAC’s Annual Conference will take place on 27-28 April, at the Novotel, Cardiff

·        UCAC represents 5,000 teachers, headteachers and lecturers across the education sector in Wales

·        Two motions on regional pay will be debated at the Conference:

“This Conference is opposed to regional pay for public sector workers, and calls on the Welsh Government to oppose any attempt by the Westminster Government to reduce the pay of public sector workers in Wales - up to and including taking responsibility for decisions about pay and working conditions.”

“UCAC calls on the Welsh Government to protect all public sector workers equally in the face of attacks by the Westminster Government, and to ensure that, if they take responsibility for the pay of other public sector employees in Wales, they also take responsibility for teachers.”

·        A special meeting will be held during the Conference (16.00 on Friday) to discuss Regional Pay and the Teachers’ Pension Scheme

For further information, contact:

·        Elaine Edwards (General Secretary) on 01970 639950 / 07787 573707

·        Rebecca Williams (Policy Officer) on 01970 639950 / 07787 572180