Brent NEU debated the Goverment offer at their end of year meeting and a majority of reps present voted to continue strike action if the award was only 6.5% or if it were not fully funded. That is the case, so this remains the Brent NEU position; a demand for an above-inflation fully-funded pay rise.
The Tories are arguing that the award is fully funded because of the funds they have put into schools. But these funds come on the back of years of cuts which mean that many Brent schools now have a deficit budget and some are already making redundancies as a result.
Brent NEU told members that the 6.5% is now agreed and will be added to salaries in the next school year regardless of what happens next.
They continued:
Many members are demanding MORE than 6.5%; 6.5%is well below inflation and is effectively ANOTHER real terms pay cut. It will NOT make up for all we have lost after years of cuts and freezes. We suspect it won't do enough to help recruitment and retention of teachers in London schools with our high rents, transport and property prices.
We are facing so many restructures that we don't have enough officers to even attend all the meetings about them which is a terrible and unprecedented situation.
In the event that members vote to reject the "offer", strike action would continue into the next school year which is the reason for the current reballot of teaching and support staff.
This is the choice facing teachers:
1. VOTE ACCEPT- Receive the 6.5% award and this will CLOSE our dispute which will mean that regardless of the outcome of our ballots we will NOT by law be able to take STRIKE ACTION for a year on pay or funding.
2. VOTE REJECT- You will still receive the 6.5% award but will be able to continue strike action to try to get a higher award and better funding going forward. This will mean an escalation of action (eg same number of days as before in 3 months instead of across 6 months).
