With schools set to close today in the first of eight days of strike action this month being held by the National Education Union, Senator Tracey Vallois also said, during yesterday’s States sitting, that schools were ‘verging on crisis’.
The Island’s teachers have been locked in a long-running pay dispute with the States Employment Board for months because they are unhappy at receiving below-inflation pay awards for 2018 and 2019.
Another teaching union, the NASUWT, is engaged in a programme of industrial action, with members refusing to cover classes for absent colleagues.
During States questions on Tuesday, Deputy Kirsten Morel asked Senator Vallois whether alternative teaching facilities might be provided during the strikes, whether parents would be compensated for lost earnings or child care costs and if parents at fee-paying schools would be reimbursed for lost days of education caused by the industrial action.
The minister said that she had received numerous emails on the matter and confirmed that compensation would not be offered to parents.
‘I am advised that the Government of Jersey is unable to compensate parents and carers for the impact of the strike by teachers, whether this is for additional child care costs, loss of earnings, holidays or issuing rebates in respect of school fees,’ she said.
‘Closures as a consequence of industrial action are treated no differently to closures for adverse weather conditions.
‘This approach is consistent with applicable legislation.’
TODAY’S STRIKE: FULL LIST OF AFFECTED SCHOOLS
She added: ‘Fees at our schools are due on a termly basis, not a daily rate – therefore you are requested to pay the fees.’
St Helier Constable Simon Crowcroft asked whether the minister thought there was now a ‘state of crisis’ in Jersey’s schools because they will only be open for seven days during May as a result of the strikes.
He also asked whether she agreed that there was not enough money to pay teachers more, as continually stated by the SEB, and if she had confidence in the SEB to resolve
the crisis.
Senator Vallois said that the current situation does feel like a crisis and indicated that she did not have full confidence in the SEB to resolve it.
‘I have a duty to ensure that our children in this Island are educated, as do the parents – we have a partnership role,’ she said.
‘Having seven [school] days [this month], we are verging on that crisis level because our children will not have the optimal education which they should have, and that’s not right.’
She added: ‘In terms of money, I am advised there isn’t enough money. I would like to say I have 100% confidence [in the SEB] but having been there myself, I know that it is not an easy job to do.
‘I would like to think that the SEB recognise how important the role of the teacher is.’
The Island’s teachers were awarded 2% pay rises for 2018 and 2019, together with 1% and 1.1% lump-sum payments for each year respectively.
More recently they were offered a guaranteed inflation-plus-1.3% pay rise for 2020 as part of a revised deal, which was also rejected by both the NASUWT and NEU.
LibertyBus has confirmed that the school bus services will continue as usual during today’s strike.
