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2019.04.30
19 Deputy R.J. Ward of the Chief Minister regarding the partnership agreement
signed with the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (N.A.S.U.W.T.): (OQ.109/2019)
Is the education partnership agreement signed with N.A.S.U.W.T. (National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers) still in operation and, if so, who are the current signatories to the agreement?
Senator J.A.N. Le Fondré (The Chief Minister):
Yes, the education partnership was established between the Government of Jersey and the teaching union, N.A.S.U.W.T., on 26th September 2014. It has got 4 signatories, which is the then Chief Minister, Senator Gorst , the then Director of Education, that is on behalf of the Government of Jersey and, obviously, the Chief Minister was also the Chairman of the S.E.B. at the time, the general secretary and the then national president for the N.A.S.U.W.T.
4.19.1 Deputy R.J. Ward :
Given that it is an agreement with only one of the 3 unions and a declaration of commitment at the end states: "The workforce partners will commit to avoiding industrial action and the employer commits to a genuine engagement", can the agreement be said to have been a complete failure?
Senator J.A.N. Le Fondré:
The agreement has covered and formed 4 years of regular meetings and covered a whole range of things. I will just take the opportunity, if I have got 30 seconds, just to remind Members that teachers, as a whole, of our workforce of 750 teachers, one in 5 is earning over £60,000 a year, two- thirds are earning over £50,000 and all of those, who are not at the top of the grade, have had an incremental increase each and every year, that is subject to performance appraisal, but generally it goes through, of at least £1,000 each time and, on average, is about £1,500 and that is all pensionable. The point is, where we have as a dispute, a disagreement, we believe, as the S.E.B., will operate a fair package. We are having discussions on Friday and today around what can be done around the other areas, because we do accept that teachers have a whole range of pressures and that is what we are trying to address. To turn around and say the agreement is ending up to be a failure, I think, is stretching the truth somewhat.
The Bailiff :
That brings the time for those questions to an end and we now come to questions to Ministers without notice.
Deputy M. Tadier :
Sir, could I just ask that any answers be circulated to the questions that have not been answered, due to lack of time?
The Bailiff :
I believe that Senator Moore , who is not here, has given notice that she wishes to withdraw question 24, so that will be excluded.