Teachers’ unions have threatened a national teachers’ strike over unfair pension plans
According to the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, the proposed 3.4 per cent increase in pension contributions by 2014 is unacceptable and tore up an agreement made on pensions four years ago.
The union’s general secretary Mary Bousted said: “It is grossly unfair to expect teachers and lecturers to shoulder the burden of a budget deficit, for which they were not responsible. It looks like teachers and lecturers are being prepared as the sacrificial lambs to make the Chancellor’s Budget sound better.”
And ATL’s senior vice president Alice Robinson commented: “Industrial action would be a last resort for ATL members. We are more than happy to negotiate any necessary changes, but we will not accept having changes imposed on us. The average teacher’s pension at less than £10,000 a year is hardly a king’s ransom. Teachers and lecturers want to be treated fairly, and are prepared to fight to ensure they are.”
I value teachers but they dont realise how lucky they are and that taxpayers are funding them.
They work only half the year and get all the school holidays off but get paid ALL 52 weeks of the year.
They get paid much more than workers in the private sector
They have jobs for life as it is almost impossible to sack an underperforming teacher.
They have goldplated fat cat pensions worth between half a million to 1.5million pounds which is paid for by people like us paying tax who will get no pension.
They get 6 months full paid sick leave whenever they want it.
It is time for their nice little public sector gravy train to end as it has for all of us normal working people