Teachers strike on academy plans

13 May 2011 Last updated at 07:59 GMT Staff at two Coventry schools are on strike over plans to turn their institutions into academies.

Tile Hill Wood and The Woodlands School are both closed to pupils.

The National Union of Teachers (NUT) said the strike was in protest at a decision to consult to change from maintained schools to academies.

A spokesman said the change posed a threat to the terms and conditions of employment. The Woodlands said its application would not be withdrawn.

'Financial freedom'

While Peter Wall, chairman of the governors at Tile Hill Wood School, said the consultation had been extensive.

Neil Charlton, head teacher at the Woodlands, said: "One of the primary considerations for this school is the financial imperative and because of that I do not intend to withdraw my application under any circumstances."

He said there were a number of reasons for schools to become academies.

He added: "The critical one for this school is the financial freedom by being funded directly from the government as opposed to via the authority.

"We would find ourselves several hundred thousand pounds better off in a year. That's the most significant factor in our decision to apply for academy status."

Academies have greater control over their budgets and can set their own pay and conditions for staff.

Jane Nellist, joint secretary of the Coventry Association of the NUT, said members were unhappy about the plans.

Pay and conditions

She said: "Our members are very angry about the way they are being treated by governors.

"The consultation has been virtually non-existent and some of the claims that are being made are totally distorted, especially around extra money.

"If these changes take place, our members' pay and conditions will be under threat as governors have failed to give any guarantees."

Picket lines were set up at 0730 BST at both schools.

In a letter to staff at Tile Hill Wood, Mr Wall said: "In our view, governors and the school leadership group have been more open and inclusive in communicating and consulting about the academy process than many other schools in the city.

"We have listened carefully to all of the feedback and comments that we received. This was extensive and covered a wide range of topics."

He added: "We have made it clear throughout the process that we have absolutely no intention of changing terms and conditions to the detriment of staff, now or in the future."

View the original article here

Teachers ballot on pension strike

View the original article here

Teachers' legal bid over pensions

13 May 2011 Last updated at 15:15 GMT By Hannah Richardson BBC News education reporter Teachers have been working out how much the change will cost them A teachers' union is mounting a High Court challenge to government changes to their pension scheme.

The Nasuwt union is seeking a judicial review over the switch from the higher RPI to the lower CPI index of inflation.

Chancellor George Osborne announced the change for public sector pensions in his emergency budget last June, saving ?11bn a year by 2014-15.

The government said it stood by the move.

The CPI method of calculating inflation - which does not include housing costs - is usually lower than the RPI definition.

The Nasuwt say the change could, for some teachers, mean a loss of over ?50,000 in the value of their pension over a 20-year period. It lodged papers with the High Court earlier this month.

General secretary Chris Keates said the change effectively broke the "contract" between teachers and the government because staff would have given consideration to the level of pension they were to get when they took decisions about if and when to retire.

'Good case'

She said: "It's been such a devastating change and it's been imposed - it's not up for negotiation with the government. They took a unilateral decision to do this.

"We took legal advice and on the basis of what our lawyers say, we think there is a good case to be made. If we win, it will have a massive impact for teachers."

Nasuwt has joined with the Fire Brigades Union, the Prison Officers Association, the PCS civil servants' union and Unite to mount the challenge.

As part of their legal case, the Nasuwt has drawn up a range of case studies for teachers leaving the profession at different stages and mapping out what the changes mean for those individuals.

If the case goes in favour of the unions, then these examples would set precedents for teachers and other workers in similar positions.

'Preferred measure'

A spokesman for the Department for Work and Pensions said: "We are currently considering the claims but stand by our policy to move to the CPI for the up-rating of pensions and benefits.

"The CPI is an internationally recognised measure of inflation and is the Bank of England's preferred measure."

The case comes as the Nasuwt publishes the results of a survey of 35,000 members suggesting nine out of 10 would support industrial action over future planned changes to their pensions.

However, the Nasuwt has committed itself to the TUC-led negotiations with the government before balloting for action.

But Ms Keates added: "Should the coalition government either fail to take seriously the concerns of teachers or fail to use the negotiations with the TUC genuinely and seriously to seek an agreed outcome, then the overwhelming support for industrial action among Nasuwt members will be translated into reality with inevitable widespread disruption."

A number of other teaching unions have said they will ballot on strike action over pension changes.

View the original article here