ASCL response to the IWPRB 1st Report
13 September 2019
Our response to the consultation on the IWPRB 1st Report and the Government’s response has been submitted.
We acknowledged and welcomed the Minister’s decision to increase the IWPRB’s recommendation of a 2.4 % uplift to 2.75 %.
Whilst we welcomed the increase of 5% for NQTs on MPR1, we were disappointed that the IWPRB did not make a recommendation for the minima and maxima of all of the ranges to be uplifted by the 5 %. This would have recognised the significant real terms decrease in teachers’ pay over the last few years.
The review body states that it is concerned "about the recruitment of teachers and leaders generally and in particular the recruitment and retention of teachers in certain subjects", yet disappointingly has done nothing to address this, other than for NQTs.
We voiced our concerns over the lack of timeliness throughout the process and stress that the report and response need to be published by the end of March, the timeline in Wales cannot be at the mercy of Westminster internal politics and negotiations.
We are very concerned that there has been no indication of how the pay award will be funded. This should have been decided and announced prior to the commencement of the consultation period.
We were clear in our evidence, as were other consultees, that any award must be fully funded by the Welsh Government and we call upon the Minister for Education to ensure that this happens and that it is announced without delay.
IWPRB's 1st report
22 July 2019
The Welsh Government published the Independent Welsh Pay Review Body (IWPRB) 1st report on 22 July 2019. The report recommends a 5% increase to the minimum of the main pay range and a 2.4% increase on the maximum of the main pay range and minimum and maximum of all other ranges and allowances. The Minister for Education has agreed to the 5% but has increased the recommended uplift for all other points to 2.75% in line with the pay award for teachers in England.
This is a far cry from the 5% called for by the joint union response from ASCL, NAHT, NEU, UCAC and Voice (and Welsh version). We are concerned that, as yet, there has been no indication on how this award will be funded. The evidence from all consultees was that any award needed to be fully funded, and as such we call on the Welsh Government to ensure that this is acted on and that this information is announced without delay.
The publication of the Minister’s response to the report signals the start of an eight-week period of consultation to which ASCL is a statutory consultee and will be submitting our response on behalf of members in due course.
As the consultation period does not close until 13 September, we urge school leaders not to interrupt their well-earned breaks to begin re-budgeting.
ASCL supplementary evidence to the IWPRB1st remit: 2019 pay award
11 April 2019
Following consideration of the evidence of other statutory consultees, we have now submitted our supplementary evidence to the STRB (English version and Welsh version). ASCL refutes the claim that a 2% increase is affordable by schools, made by the Welsh Government in its submission, mirroring the claim by the Secretary of State for Westminster and we have provided evidence to support this.
We will be meeting with the IWPRB in May, and their report is due in June.
ASCL evidence to the IWPRB 1st remit: 2019 pay award
28 March 2019
The responsibility for Teachers’ Pay and Conditions in Wales was devolved to the Welsh Government with effect from September 2018. A new Pay Review Body was set up to make recommendations on pay and conditions to the Welsh Government, the Independent Welsh Pay Review Body (IWPRB) and the membership was announced on 22 February 2019.
ASCL welcomes the opportunity to make a written response to the IWPRB (English version and Welsh version) following the letter from the Minister for Education February 2019 which addresses the arrangements for the 2019 pay award.
We remain concerned about the lack of commitment from HM UK Government to prioritise the funding of education or take on board the recommendations of the independent pay review body. The decision by the Secretary of State for England to ignore the recommendations of the STRB’s 28th report and implement a differentiated pay award in 2018, left teachers on the UPR and senior leaders seeing real terms cuts to their pay yet again. We urge the IWPRB to address these issues and also to secure the commitment made by the former First Minister that devolution of control over teachers’ pay will not lead to teachers in Wales being paid less than teachers in England. We submitted evidence supporting our claim for the need for a significant, above inflation increase to all points within all pay ranges and allowances. We also provided evidence to demonstrate why the pay award must be fully funded.
ASCL, along with NAHT, NEU, UCAC and Voice submitted a joint statement detailing our common positions (English version and Welsh version), and calling for a fully funded 5% increase.