More Teacher Strikes Announced

Teachers have announced further strike dates, likely forcing most Jersey schools to close again.

The NEU union has said its members will walkout on 14, 15 and 16 November, in addition to 17 and 18 October*.

A statement says long-running pay talks have broken down.

Union met the States Employment Board this week and again refused the request to go to independent arbitration to settle the row.

"The request from the SEB was for the joint unions to enter arbitration with no further pay offer on the table. NEU declined this request on the basis that we will not forgoe our rights to participate in open negotiation, take industrial action and allow a third party to make a decision for our members via arbitration. We proposed an  alternative offer to the SEB which we felt represented a reasonable solution and an opportunity to meet the employer in the middle however this offer was immediately declined."

The NEU says the government can find more than the 7.9% tabled.

Nick Childs, Senior Regional Officer, says they have little faith in binding arbitration as Guernsey members had a below-inflation pay award imposed earlier this year.

"We are calling on the State Employment Board to engage in genuine negotiations over the erosion in teachers’ pay. To date negotiation has been minimal. This is how we will resolve this dispute”

The union argues teachers have faced years of pay erosion, and that it contributes to the difficulties recruiting and retaining staff which it has warned is at 'crisis point'.

The SEB says binding arbitration is the only route to a resolution.

"Given most public service employees have accepted the 7.9% (consolidated), without dispute, the SEB believe that the offer on the table is fair and reasonable.

Teachers have now received an uplift of 7.9% consolidated pay in August, and a backdated amount to 1 January 2023 in the September pay run.

Having rejected the offer of binding arbitration, the trade unions have effectively closed the door to the resolution of the dispute in 2023.

Talks for 2024, and the potential of a multi-year pay settlement, will begin this month."

SEB Vice -chair Constable Andy Jehan said:

“We had hoped that we could reach a conclusion to the dispute but that does not seem to be the case.  We were prepared to put our case to an independent person through ‘binding arbitration’ and be bound by their determination, having put forward a fair and reasonable offer.

“I know there are many teachers who want to just get on with the job without disruption, and I am equally sorry that continued industrial action impacts them as well.”

Teachers have already walked out twice this year, in July and September.

The last strike was supported by the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT)

The NASUWT withdrew from last month's action after the SEB agreed to backdate the pay rise to January 2023 while acknowledging the union was still in dispute over a final settlement.

The NAHT has told Channel 103 that they have 'no update to give'. NASUWT has also been asked if their members will be striking on the dates announced either today or previously.

*The NASUWT had previously given notice of strike on 18 & 19 October.