Letter- Minister for Children and Education response to Children, Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel - 20 June 23
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19-21 Broad Street | St Helier Jersey | JE2 3RR
Deputy Catherine Curtis
Chair, Children, Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel
BY EMAIL 20 June 2023
Dear Chair,
Thank you for your letter of 15th June regarding pay negotiations with teaching unions. Please note the States Employment Board (SEB) are responsible for all employment matters, including negotiations on pay, terms, and conditions.
Your letter states that pay negotiations have collapsed. I am advised by colleagues at the SEB this is not the position. I understand the pay negotiations have resulted in a dispute, which has been referred by agreement of all parties to the Jersey Advice and Conciliation Service (JACS). I understand it was a constructive dialogue. The Vice Chair of the States Employment Board has stated that the SEB remain open to dialogue.
- Please could you confirm all date(s) that teachers plan to strike?
The NEU have advised they will commence strike action on 5th July.
The NASUWT have now provided details of action short of a strike, including withdrawal from extra- curricular activities, lunchtime supervision and discretionary activities outside of regular working hours. They will not participate in the strike action on the 5th July.
- Please could you confirm the number of teachers expected to go on strike from each school?
At this point we do not know what the level of strike participation will be in each school, but there are around 380 NEU members across 36 establishments. NASUWT have indicated about 450 members are eligible to participate in their industrial action.
Additionally, those not belonging to a trade union may also strike.
a. Do you anticipate any school closures, or other significant impact, as a result of industrial action?
It is too early to anticipate with any level of accuracy the level of disruption that may be caused by industrial action. The level of disruption will vary from school to school and be impacted by factors such as level of union membership, level of strike participation amongst union members and other staff, whether unions act on the same day, all day, part of a day etc.
Teachers who undertake additional lunchtime, pre-school and post-school activity may also withdraw their labour from these activities.
- What action will the Department for Children, Education, Young People and Skills (CYPES) take to support schools in mitigating the disruption for students on the strike day(s)?
The department will do everything within its powers to minimise any disruption caused by strike action. Colleagues from across Government are working on well-established planning for strike action, contingency planning, and co-ordination.
Head teachers and school business managers will be required to report on absences on the day of the strike to allow effective monitoring of provision.
- 4. Please could you confirm whether you have had any engagement with teaching unions, the States Employment Board, or other parties to discuss pay and conditions for teachers?
As previously stated, the responsibility for pay negotiations for teachers rests with the SEB and the teaching unions. My officers meet with all the unions that represent staff who work in schools on a quarterly basis to discuss, and agree by negotiation, on areas of interest outside of pay. I have also advised union colleagues that I would be happy to have further engagement in relation to the strategic intentions of the Education Reform Programme and Inclusion review.
Both unions have contacted me, and I have agreed to meet them. Yours sincerely,
Deputy Inna Gardiner
Minister for Children and Education D +44 (0)1534 440152