Nowhere is government policy more destructive than in education, says TUC

date: 30 March 2013

embargo: 1400hrs Saturday 30 March 2013

(Check against delivery)

Addressing the National Union of Teachers' (NUT) conference in Liverpool today (Saturday), TUC General Secretary Frances O'Grady will say that growing inequality and increasing hardship combined with a huge acceleration in the number of academies and free schools make education the most damaging area of all the government's current policies.

Speaking at the BT Convention Centre in the city this afternoon, Frances will say:

'Teaching is one of the most important jobs in the world. Educating children from every race, class and background, inspiring them to be the best they can, building a better society, making our economy stronger and enriching all of our lives.

'Our teachers do a brilliant job and increasingly, they do that great job despite government policies, not because of them.

'Instead of the government criticising and carping, it's high time we celebrated your achievements because you don't just deserve fair pay, you deserve respect.

'These are profoundly tough times for all ordinary working people. We are up against a nasty, ideological, elitist, right-wing government and we have a responsibility to build one big, united movement to defend our communities against unprecedented attack.

'The Budget said it all - cuts in jobs and services that are dragging the economy down to a triple dip recession. No mansion tax for the rich but a bedroom tax for the poor, tax giveaways for millionaires, and benefit cuts for everyone else.

'And at the very same time that George Osborne was doing battle in Brussels to stop a cap on bankers' bonuses, he was finalising his plans to impose a cap on the pay of public sector workers.

'Instead of austerity, we want investment in jobs, growth and real banking reform. Instead of cuts, we want our public services protected. Instead of living standards in freefall, we want stronger unions winning fairer wages.

'Britain needs a pay rise. That's the best way to build business and consumer confidence, to get people spending and get our economy growing again.

'But nowhere is government policy more destructive than in education. Growing inequality makes your job harder. Children coming to school hungry are less likely to learn and today our schools are being privatised in ways once unthinkable.

'With multinationals and private equity firms in talks about taking over yet more schools, we need to deliver a clear message to ministers. Education is a public good, say no to privatisation and put pupils before profit.

'We know what the game is. Think about the rapid acceleration of academies which the OECD says are making schools even more socially segregated. Ofsted has already placed a number under special measures.

'The problems are clear. Academies are all about selection through the back door, with too little accountability and too much macho management.

'Well I have news for the government. The public trusts teachers but it doesn't trust you. The latest Mori poll shows 86 per cent of the public trust teachers to tell the truth, compared to fewer than one in five when it comes to politicians.

'And if anything sums up why people have reason to distrust this government, then it takes just two words: 'free schools'. Given the amount of taxpayers' money being squandered, they certainly don't come free. And from what I can work out, some of them don't even deserve to be called schools.

'Take Pimlico Primary free school, due to open in September. It's sponsored by a charity founded by a Conservative Party donor and former venture capitalist. Its new head teacher is the former deputy director of a right-wing think tank. A head teacher who has declared she will ignore the National Curriculum, who has no teaching experience whatsoever, and who has just started her teacher training.

'Spiralling workloads, pension contribution hikes, and pay freezes have all had a devastating impact on morale. And now the Education Secretary Michael Gove wants to end of national pay bargaining - and introduce individualised pay.

'This would be bad for teachers, parents and pupils. It is unfair, inefficient and divisive and will make recruitment and retention more difficult.

'It will also mean 25,000 school heads tied up in the back office, administering the red tape of pay systems, when parents want them out on the front line, leading their schools.

'Mr Gove was wrong on scrapping school building, wrong on the EBacc, and now he's wrong on teachers' pay.

'The NUT and NASUWT are working together in the interests of teachers, parents and children. Their plans for a joint programme of industrial action are intelligent, measured and will have maximum impact, winning the support of pupils and parents.

'To the Secretary of State, let me say this. Teachers do not take industrial action lightly. These strikes still can be avoided, if you talk to teachers, if you listen and if you see sense - on privatisation, pensions and pay.

'But if you refuse to talk, then the TUC is ready to back our unions in any way we can. That includes the launch of our new public mass campaign - Education Not For Sale and the TUC co-ordinating industrial action, wherever members vote for it.

'It's time for change - for high-quality, publicly-accountable education accessible to all.

'Our schools and our children are too important, too precious, to be left to the free market. Education must never become a mere commodity, just another source of profit for the corporate world. It's about giving every child the chance to fulfil their true potential in life.

'And education is nothing without educators. You are the people who make it happen, who shape young lives and who communities depend on. You deserve respect and fairness at work and as TUC General Secretary, I will work with NUT and all the education unions to make sure you get it.'

NOTES TO EDITORS:

- All TUC press releases can be found at www.tuc.org.uk

- Follow the TUC on Twitter: @tucnews

Contacts:

Media enquiries:
Liz Chinchen (TUC) M: 07778 158175 E: media@tuc.org.uk

Caroline Cowie (NUT) 07879 480061 or c.cowie@nut.org.uk