Striking teachers remain ‘resolute’ at Portsmouth High School picket line - but school trust is ‘wholly disheartened’ over union’s refusal of new pension proposal

This morning, teacher members of the National Education Union (NEU) from the city school – one of the 23 Girls’ Day School Trust’s independent schools, all of which are on strike – stood with banners and placards on Kent Street.

Maria Fawcett, NEU regional secretary for the south east region, said: ‘Members want a resolution. We want all members to remain in the Teacher’s Pension Scheme (TPS).’

Leaving the scheme ‘will represent a pay cut in real terms’, Maria said.

She added: ‘There is no doubt that the school is putting pressure on members, but our members are resolute.

‘What they are fighting for is so important’.

Following strike days last week and a rally in Westminster on February 23, today is the first in three further planned days of strike action - with teachers prepared to walk out tomorrow and Thursday.

On the picket was Sheena Wright, a representative of the Portsmouth NEU. She said: ‘It’s hard for people to keep up, it’s very disappointing – particularly at a time when the profession is under such pressure.’

After meeting with the NEU, the trust proposed a different plan which would allow teachers to remain on the TPS.

The trust said that this would give teachers the choice between continued membership of the TPS or joining the GDST Flexible Pension Plan, while the union believes that this would create a two-tier system.

Maria added: ‘First impressions are that the GDST’s latest proposal will create an unwelcome two-tier system for our members, worsening conditions over time including a real-terms pay cut.

‘It is in the trust’s interests to continue talks with the recognised union, but we are not yet able to properly assess their proposal and therefore strikes will go ahead this week.’

Pickets will be outside the school each strike day from 7.30am-9.30am.

The trust says it is offering teachers a pay rise along with continued membership of the TPS, and that future pay rises for teachers will be calculated using a formula that maintains ongoing parity in the cost to the GDST of providing the total reward for all teachers, whichever pension scheme they choose to be part of.

SEE ALSO: Badminton success for Portsmouth High School youngster as Year 10 pupil ranks sixth in England

Cheryl Giovannoni, trust chief executive, said: ‘The GDST is wholly disheartened that the NEU has refused to stand down strikes with this updated offer on the table.

‘Every effort has been made to give teachers the choice to remain in the TPS and we cannot understand the NEU’s position not to work with us to bring teachers back to the classroom to support our students while discussions are ongoing.

‘We sincerely regret the impact this is having on everyone in all our schools - students, teachers, staff and parents.

‘We are now appealing directly to teachers in the hope that they will accept this offer and the good faith that lies behind it; that they will choose to allow us to work with them to heal the rifts that have been created, and to restore confidence and trust in the organisation.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

Subscribe here for unlimited access to all our coverage, including Pompey, for just 26p a day.