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NUT
Former Member
Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
On Thursday, members of the National Union of Teachers who work in and near London are holding a one-day strike to demand higher wages (which means I miss double stats <IMG SRC="biggrin.gif" border="0" ALT="icon">)
They are holding this strike as part of their demand for an increase in the London weighting - the amount of extra money they get to cover the cost of living in London.
Do you support them?
Personally, I do. There is a national teaching shortage, but there are particular problems in London, where in some LEAs 20% of teaching posts are unfilled. This has led to a massive deterioration of teaching standards, as it becomes impossible for poorly paid teachers to live and work in London. The schools are forced to accept literally anyone to stand in front of a class.
I think teachers should earn more in general. The average GP (a university qualified profession) earns in the region of £70k. Teachers (also a university qualified profession) earn about £20k. They are more often compared with nurses, which is not a profession requiring a degree. Surely its time we started recognising that, in order to get good teachers and safe guard our children's, and country's, future, we have to be prepared to pay teachers much much more?
They are holding this strike as part of their demand for an increase in the London weighting - the amount of extra money they get to cover the cost of living in London.
Do you support them?
Personally, I do. There is a national teaching shortage, but there are particular problems in London, where in some LEAs 20% of teaching posts are unfilled. This has led to a massive deterioration of teaching standards, as it becomes impossible for poorly paid teachers to live and work in London. The schools are forced to accept literally anyone to stand in front of a class.
I think teachers should earn more in general. The average GP (a university qualified profession) earns in the region of £70k. Teachers (also a university qualified profession) earn about £20k. They are more often compared with nurses, which is not a profession requiring a degree. Surely its time we started recognising that, in order to get good teachers and safe guard our children's, and country's, future, we have to be prepared to pay teachers much much more?
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Comments
The damned right-wingers will start complaining but I bet they don't have to live on those wages whilst trying to but a house.
Take of the metropolitian glasses you wear and you might see a world outside the M25. Funnily enough the cost of living is high in other places too. You shouldn't assume that the private sector jobs all pay more.
I support the teachers ideals, because I'm an underpaid public sector worker too, but you shouldn't be so arrogant as to assume that this is a London problem alone. London-weighting exists for London only...
I am not suggesting that no-one else is underpaid but I don't think it has reached the stage where people can barely afford to live in anywhere other than London and the surrounding areas.
Of course I can see the world outside the M25, I live in it and I know that things are a lot cheaper because I used to live in London as well! <IMG SRC="mad.gif" border="0" ALT="icon">
Just to give a clue, these come from my local rag...
"Bungalow, Garage...for rebuild or knock down - £65k" - it is near the seafront, in Herne Bay, hardly the most desirable part of Kent
"Ground Floor Bedsit - £65 per week" again Herne Bay
"2 bed cottage - £125 per week" - nr Canterbury
There are ZERO three bed houses under £125k, most flats are approx £70k and the average rent for a flat is £400-500 pcm
Not to mention the other costs...
Now I'm not suggesting that where I live is any worse or better than other SE towns - all I am saying is that this isn't just a London problem and that needs to be recognised...is it any surprise that the SE has the highest number of public sector job vacancies....
A three bedroom flat in a reasonably undesirable area is a mere £2000 pcm.
The problem in London is documented as far worse than anywhere else. This is not based upon my subjective view. This is statistical fact.
How on Earth can a teacher earning £20k afford to live within a reasonable commuting distance of Central London?
I think teacher salaries should be increased at least twofold nationally, but also feel that there is a massive need for a substantial London weighting; I admit there is a problem in other areas, but it does not even come close.