Teachers Lose Their Pay Tribunal

Wednesday, 26 April 2023 07:00

An independent panel awards in favour of Policy and Resources' original three year pay offer to teachers.

A long-running dispute over pay and teacher workloads has concluded with an independent panel agreeing that the deal offered by the States is fair.

Around 600 teachers in Guernsey will get a 5% rise for 2022 plus a one off payment of £500. This year they'll get a 7% increase, while for 2024 it's inflation minus 1%.

They had wanted 7% for last year and the £500 payment, inflation plus 2% for this year and inflation plus 3% for next year.

Official figures from the States show that inflation dipped slightly over the past three months, to 8.3% as at 31 March 2022.

The NASUWT union had maintained that teachers' pay had reduced in real terms over a period of 15 years, and its members voted to take industrial action.

They accused Policy and Resources, as employer, of refusing to negotiate. The committee always maintained its offer was fair, and said it had been accepted by the other public sector groups.

The tribunal said that the negotiating position adopted by P&R caused problems for the unions. But equally it understood that the pandemic and Brexit were valid reasons for the States adopting a common pay award policy.

The tribunal was held on Monday (24 April) and heard from a number of representatives from both sides, with teachers represented by a single Negotiating Committee.

The tribunal's decision is legally binding.