Stacking shelves at Tesco ‘is better-paid than supply teaching’

A CONTROVERSIAL deal cutting supply teachers’ pay which has led to a shortage of teaching staff needs to be re-examined, union leaders have said.

Under the new arrangement – dubbed the “sellout agreement” by teachers when it was agreed last April – supply teachers earn £78 before tax for the first five consecutive days working in the same school of a new contract before moving to the normal point on their pay scale.

Last night union leaders claimed supply teachers could earn more stacking supermarket shelves than from teaching.

Under an agreement drawn up between the Scottish Government and local authority umbrella body Cosla, pay for supply teachers was reduced as part of an effort to save £45 million.

But teaching unions claim local authorities prefer to save money by moving supply teachers to new contracts after a few days rather than let them reach the higher pay grade.

Supply teachers have said this barely covers costs such as childcare and transport.

And union leaders said the move has led to a shortage of supply teachers to plug gaps such as for sickness cover.

There are also claims that a number of secondary schools are facing difficulties recruiting teachers to cover specialist subjects, leaving the subjects being taught by supply teachers with no knowledge of certain areas.

Last night Ann Ballinger, general secretary of the Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association, said the shortage of teachers should not come as a surprise.

Ms Ballinger said: “I’ve spoken to a lot of supply teachers and they have told me if they can get five days stacking shelves in Tesco it will pay them more than two or three days of teaching.

“The new deal means that for the first five days they are paid less than a probationer, regardless of how much teaching experience they have.”

Ms Ballinger said the association has lawyers examining the legal situation and may put the issue forward at an employment tribunal.

“We are currently seeking legal redress on this because it breaches the prevention of less favourable treatment for fixed term workers under the European legislation. It may be that we will take a test case to an employment tribunal.

“Ultimately you can’t blame people for refusing to work for what works out at around £50 a day. Being a supply teacher is a horrible job. It takes a long time to build up respect and knowledge to teach a class of pupils.”

Ronnie Smith, general secretary of the EIS teaching union, said the pay agreement needs to be re-examined.

He said: “Nothing is forever. It was done because there was a calculation done by the EIS that it would be better to try and safeguard jobs.

“However, it seems to me that if the impact is that we have created a shortage of supply teachers, which means that classes are not being taught, then logic dictates that you revisit it.”

Mike Russell MSP, the education secretary, admitted in November that the situation had led to teaching shortages.

Last night Mr Russell said in an interview that the deal was “not ideal … but best in the circumstances, very difficult circumstances”.