Jersey teachers’ one-day strike over pay cancelled
A planned island-wide strike by teachers in Jersey has been cancelled after agreements on changes to working conditions were reached.
A public sector pay freeze led to a dispute between the States and teaching unions the NUT and NASUWT.
Schools were expected to close on Thursday with a walkout by teachers.
But union representatives said a partial agreement had been reached with the States to change teachers conditions of service.
In addition to the one-day strike, teachers had planned to boycott break-time duties until 18 July.
Lunch duties
The States Employment Board, which froze all public sector States’ workers pay for 2009, had offered a 2% pay increase for 2010 and 2011, which was rejected by the unions.
The board said the new conditions of service agreement was subject to this pay deal being agreed by the unions.
Ann Southern, of the Jersey branch of the NUT, said: “The most important things are that primary school teachers will get 10% preparation and marking time from January 2011 and also there is a commitment to remove lunch duties from January 2012. Lunch duties was always the big issue.”
Chief Minister Senator Terry Le Sueur said: “I am pleased we have managed to avoid industrial action, which would be detrimental to students’ learning and disruptive for parents.
“I hope we can now move forward to an independent review of the terms and conditions of service for teachers.”
Source: BBC