Ryan FowlerTeachers represented by NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union at Coventry School Foundation, which includes Bablake Senior, Bablake Junior, King Henry VIII Senior, and King Henry VIII Junior schools, are launching the first of nine planned strike days tomorrow (Thursday).
The strike follows proposals from the employer that force teachers to either remain in the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS) with an almost 12% pay reduction or move to a less favourable pension scheme.
NASUWT has condemned the employer’s approach, highlighting that teachers have been threatened with dismissal and re-employment on new contracts if they refuse to voluntarily accept the new terms.
Dr Patrick Roach, general secretary of NASUWT, said: “The employer is trying to force teachers to choose between being worse off now or worse off in the future – an invidious choice. To make matters worse, teachers are being bullied with the threat of fire and rehire tactics to try to intimidate them into accepting these changes. All our members want is to be valued, treated with respect and provided with fair and decent pay and pension arrangements which reflect the challenging and skilled work they do.”
Alan Jones, national executive member for Coventry at NASUWT, expressed frustration over the repeated disputes: “This is now the third dispute we have had to open with the Foundation since 2021. Members do not want to have to repeatedly take strike action just to get the basic pay and conditions they have a right to expect and which will support the continued delivery of high-quality education to pupils.”
Jones called on the employer to resolve the issue: “The employer needs to end this disruption by withdrawing these plans and agreeing to work constructively with us to address the current and longer term pay and pensions arrangements for our members.”
