NUT urges 'resistance' on pay plans

A campaign of "mass resistance" is needed against the Government's plans for regional pay for public sector workers, teachers have heard.

National strikes by trade unions should be organised to push back the proposals, which could lead to the "fragmentation and privatisation" of education, the National Union of Teachers' (NUT) annual conference in Torquay was told.

A campaign of 'mass resistance' is
needed against the Government's
 plans for regional pay, the NUT has heard

Delegates warned that a move towards regional pay rates is an attack on teachers and part of a Government strategy to drive down pay and conditions and break up the school system.

The warning came as the NUT passed a resolution declaring its "complete opposition to the Government's intention to attack the national pay and conditions arrangements for school teachers".

It instructed the union's executive to take "all appropriate action", including being prepared to ballot for national strikes, if Education Secretary Michael Gove puts forward specific proposals attacking teachers' national pay and conditions.

Tony Dowling, an NUT member from Gateshead, told the conference that teachers are angry, and action is needed to deal with that anger.

"This is not just an attack on pay. And it is not just an attack on teachers. It is about the fragmentation and privatisation of education."

Mr Dowling, who was speaking on an amendment to the motion, said: "It is a fact that we are living, it seems to me, in an unelected dictatorship of the Tory Government. Michael Gove is acting as if he has carte blanche to do what he likes. He knows nothing about education.

"We can't wait to 2015 to get rid of this Government. By then education, our NHS and many other of our services that we cherish will be destroyed."

National action by the NUT last November, and again by London members last month, against changes to public sector pensions were a show of force, he suggested.