Tired and stressed - teachers demand cut to working hours

Published on Monday 18 April 2011 14:26

Teachers are to call for measures to reduce teachers' workloads at a union conference this week.

Members of the NASUWT say teaching is among the most stressful professions and without more support, there will be increasing stress, mental health issues and absenteeism.

Delegates at the national congress to be held in Glasgow on Friday, are also expected to reject the latest pay offer for the profession from council employers, Cosla.

Chris Keates General Secretary of the NASUWT, said: "Teachers' pay and conditions are being singled out in a deliberate, calculated and vicious way to balance the books of the Scottish Government.

"NASUWT members across the country have rejected the Cosla proposals overwhelmingly and are determined to fight for justice for teachers.

"Attacks on pay and conditions, threats of job loss, increasing workload, and concerns about pupil indiscipline are all taking their toll on the health and well-being of teachers."

And she added: "NASUWT is concerned that the levels of stress in some workplaces are leading to serious mental health problems which too many schools are ill-equipped to either detect or address." A motion proposed by the union's executive calls on the ruling body of the group to "vigorously" defend the pay and conditions of service set out in the 2001 Teachers' Agreement, also known as the McCrone deal.

Negotiations between unions and employers are ongoing but most unions have rejected the lastest offer, saying it diminished conditions of supply staff.

It also means a pay freeze for all teachers.

However, the leaders of Scotland's biggest teaching union, the EIS, is urging its member to accept the offer in an ongoing ballot of its own members.

The latest NASUWT motion says: "There must be no concessions on terms and conditions, particularly in relation to class contact time, preparation and correction time, continuing professional development and the provision of support staff."

And it calls on the national executive of the union to campaign for statutory terms of pay and conditions of service for teachers in Scotland.

A study published last year on teachers with work-related stress and mental health problems, commissioned by the union showed allowing staff to fall ill cost the UK 32 billion a year.

The cost to business and the public purse included sick pay, medical costs and compensation.

The motion says: "Evidence shows that teaching is one of the most stressful occupations and that teacher stress and mental health problems diminish job performance, productivity, enthusiasm and commitment and lead to increased absenteeism, a decrease in goodwill and withdrawal from extracurricular and other non-teaching activities."

It calls for greater measures in place to address excessive workloads for teachers.