Teachers say they will have to work longer for less money Head teachers are preparing to vote on balloting for industrial action over plans to curb their pensions, as delegates gather for the final day of their union’s conference in Brighton.
Education Secretary Michael Gove will address the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) conference later.
The union says heads – who could lose £100,000 on average from their pensions – “feel betrayed” by the plans.
Ministers are urging unions not to rush into decisions on industrial action.
If the vote is passed at the conference on Sunday, the NAHT will become the third teaching union in recent weeks to opt for a strike ballot.
NAHT members have said they are “very likely” to vote to hold a ballot for industrial action, up to and including a strike.
The government is in talks with the unions and says it aims to announce firm proposals for all public sector pensions in the autumn.
From next April, teachers and other public sector workers are being asked to pay higher contributions to their pensions.
The Hutton review into public sector pensions recommended most employees should switch from “final salary” pension schemes to those based on a “career average”.
They should also retire at 65, in line with changes to the state pension, he said.
Heads and teachers say this will mean they will work longer, for less money.
Russell Hobby, general secretary of the NAHT – which has members in England, Wales and Northern Ireland – said heads felt angry and betrayed.
Many see the pension scheme as a reward for their accepting lower pay than than they might have earned in the private sector, he said.
“They rightly see the proposals as an attack on the fair rewards from a lifetime of public service, ” he continued.
“We are seeing a loss of about £100,000 from an average head teachers’ pension. That feels like a real betrayal to the profession.”
He said a “yes” vote on Sunday was “very likely”.
Schools could be affected by strikes over pensions before the government announces its full proposals in the autumn. Two classroom teachers’ unions voted for similar action at their annual conferences recently and they may ballot this term.
The NAHT is strongest in primary schools – where it says it represents 85% of heads in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
It says it represents 40% of secondary heads.
The government aims to set out “general principles” for changes to teachers’ pensions in England and Wales by the end of June. Teachers’ pensions in Scotland and Northern Ireland are decided by the national administrations.
Schools minister Nick Gibb recently told a teachers’ conference that public service pensions should remain a gold standard – but that rising costs and greater life expectancy meant reform was needed. The government is urging teachers – and head teachers – not to rush their decisions.
This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.