Teachers’ pay

Press, 25 February 1989, Page 24

Teachers’ pay

Sir,—Last week, surprise was expressed at the reaction of secondary teachers to the employers’ “offer” during recent award talks. They offered zero salary rise (inflation never existed!) and zero on updating reimbursement of teachers’ costs. In addition, teachers could lose more than 50 safeguards over job conditions. These include the non-recognition of qualifications and training, removal of redundancy arrangements, removal of the right to employ relief staff when teachers are sick, removal of the right to extra pay for temporarily taking extra responsibility, removal of the right for leave (e.g., for exams, marriage and sport at national level). At present, a teacher who has come from a position providing relevant experience (trade, technician, research, motherhood, etc.) can get time credited as teaching service. This will be lost. And so they go on. As a parent, I am unconvinced that such industrial reform will benefit the education of my children. — Yours, etc., M. F. SINCLAIR. February 21, 1989.