Later this week teacher members of the NEU at Portsmouth High School for Girls (GDST) will be striking to defend their pensions.
Six days of nationally co-ordinated strike action have been announced across the Girls’ Day School Trust’s 23 independent schools in England and Wales.
- 10 February 2022
- 23 February 2022
- 24 February 2022
- 1 March 2022
- 2 March 2022
- 3 March 2022
An overwhelming ‘yes’ vote for action
A single formal ballot, which closed in January, resulted in 95 per cent of teacher members at the 23 schools voting in favour of discontinuous strike action on a turnout of 84 per cent.
This is an unprecedented and overwhelming ‘yes’ vote for action, and the strike action will be the first in the Trust’s entire 149-year history.
Plans to remove teaching staff from Teachers’ Pension Scheme
The Girls’ Day School Trust proposes to remove its teaching staff from the Teachers’ Pension Scheme.
If this were to go ahead, teachers will be at least 20 per cent worse off on average in terms of the annual amount they receive in pension payments.
The South East branch of the National Education Union say the Trust has been unable and unwilling to demonstrate any financial imperative for this decision. What is in the public domain shows Trust finances to be in good health.
Fawcett: Will make the schools a less desirable place to work
Regional Secretary, Maria Fawcett, said
“We call on the Council of the Girls’ Day School Trust to withdraw the damaging proposal to leave the Teachers’ Pension Scheme at Brighton Girls, Oxford High School and Portsmouth High School.
“Teachers are concerned that not only is this unfair, but that it will make the schools a less desirable place to work with valued staff leaving to join other local schools that aren’t attacking their staff terms and conditions.
“The Trust should reflect on just how a large body of committed and hard-working staff have reached the point where they feel forced to take strike action at Brighton, Oxford and Portsmouth for the first time in the Trust’s 149-year history.
“Members are resolved and rightly determined to defend their pensions and the best education provision for pupils”
News shared by the South Eastern branch of the National Education Union. Ed
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