Pay Progession in Sixth Form Colleges - Reject the Proposals

Earlier this month, NUT National Executive members on the Salaries Committee were asked to comment on proposals for changes to the pay structure in Sixth Form Colleges. 

I spoke out at the time about my concerns that the proposals, arising from negotiations with the Sixth Form Colleges Association, would mean that all pay progression would in future be linked to appraisal outcomes, just as has been imposed in schools. Of course, with the budget problems facing Sixth Form Colleges, it is even more likely that this could be used to block pay progression and save on salary costs.

As I commented in my Report at the time, http://electmartin1.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/report-from-nut-executive-october-2014.html, my initial view was that the proposals should be rejected. However, I wanted to speak to colleagues in Sixth Form Colleges to get their views.

I have now received the motion below, passed unanimously with one abstention, at a well-attended meeting at City and Islington College which confirms that NUT members there had drawn the same conclusions:

This 6th form college NUT group recognise the positive aspects in the new pay structure proposals, particularly:
Positives 
1. Gaining parity with school teachers on the bottom and top of the pay spine. 
2. Shortening the minimum time necessary to reach the top.
3. Addressing some anomalies in the management scale. 
4. Automatic consideration for all spine points 

However there are significant concerns that represent retrograde steps and, in its current form, we feel the negative aspects of the proposals outweigh the positives elements. 

The proposals lay the ground for more explicit college by college pay criteria particularly in the most worrying aspects around: 
Concerns 
1. The explicit linking of pay progression and teacher appraisals 
2. The lack of transparency surrounding the management pay range 
3. Extension of some standards for progression beyond existing Professional Standards. In particular the new Professional Standards include an unacceptable section to apply in and out of college on "upholding British Values". This section needs to be removed. 

This 6th Form Union group reaffirms its commitment to: 
* Defend 6th form teachers' pay 
* Seek parity with School teachers pay 
* Defend school and Sixth Forms teachers' pay from being performance related 

We call on the executive to: 
1. Reject the offer and seek to reopen negotiations over the above demand. 
2. Continue to include 6th form NUT members in the campaign and strike action alongside school teachers with the aim of securing the above demands. 
3. Involve Sixth form NUT members in additional sector wide action if it is deemed necessary in order to secure these demands 
4. Continue to campaign to highlight cuts to the provision including 6th form teachers' pay and take action where it is deemed necessary in defending the sector.

I will be supporting their call to reject their offer and am sharing this motion so that members in other Sixth Form Colleges can consider the points raised above.