The NASUWT union yesterday said it stands ready to take industrial action over ‘draconian’ measures announced by Education Secretary Gove to bully teachers out of their jobs.
It was responding to the government’s ‘reforms of teacher performance management’.
NASUWT general secretary Chris Keates said: ‘This is yet another depressingly predictable announcement from a government seemingly intent on destroying the teaching profession and state-education.
‘The draconian measures announced today are totally unnecessary.
‘There is no evidence which demonstrates that there are problems with the current system.
‘This announcement will only serve further to devastate teacher morale and endanger future recruitment to the profession and the retention of existing teachers.
‘Fortunately for teachers, the NASUWT anticipated these changes and members already have voted overwhelmingly for industrial action on a range of issues, including changes to performance management and pay progression.
‘Action instructions are already in place in schools.
‘NASUWT members belong to the most talented generation of teachers our schools have seen, and evidence shows they have raised standards consistently year-on-year.
‘They deserve better than to have their professionalism constantly denigrated and called into question by policies pursued by a government which has an ideologically driven contempt for public services and the workforce which delivers them.
‘Like other education policies pursued by this government, these changes have nothing to do with raising standards.
‘The NASUWT and its members remain determined to stand up for standards and will oppose these changes vigorously.’
National Union of Teachers general secretary Christine Blower condemned the measures as ‘a bully’s charter’ (see Page 3).
Commenting on the planned changes to heads’ powers, Dr Mary Bousted, general secretary of the Association of teachers & Lecturers (ATL), said: ‘We do not need to make it easier to sack “bad” teachers.
‘Those teachers who discover this isn’t the job for them leave the classroom long before it gets to this stage.
‘What we do need if we are to raise performance, rather than grab headlines, is to improve CPD (continuing professional development) and methods of supporting teachers.’
