Comment on Michael Gove's speech at Populus
Commenting on a speech by Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Education, at an event hosted by polling organisation Populus, Chris Keates, General Secretary of the NASUWT, the largest teachers' union, said:
“It is deeply disappointing that the Secretary of State for Education is once again engaged in criticising and vilifying teachers on the back of a shoddy piece of market research.
“The Populus opinion pollsters who have given a platform to the Secretary of State have simply failed to grasp the reality of pay and performance management practice in schools.
“The plain fact is that teachers' pay is already linked to performance and this has been the case for many years.
“Strike action by teachers would not be necessary if ministers were willing to engage in genuine dialogue with the NASUWT and NUT on changes being made to teachers' terms and conditions of service.
“We have made clear to ministers that we stand ready to engage in discussions. It is unfortunate that the Secretary of State does not recognise the urgency of the situation.
“Instead of engaging in continuing game-playing, the Secretary of State should make time to seek to resolve this dispute and avoid further escalation of industrial action.”
