The Llandaff school will be part of a UK-wide strike after 93% of union members voted in favour
STUDENTS at Howell’s School in Llandaff will be facing teacher strikes as a row over pensions continues.
Strikes were called over a proposal made last year to cut employer contributions to pensions. This would make Howell’s School teachers around £7,000 worse-off per year at retirement.
A consultation took place over the last few months to allow teachers and the Girls Day School Trust, which operates the school, to discuss the dispute.
But a Howell’s School teacher, who asked to remain anonymous for fear of reprisals, told The Cardiffian that this was not enough. They will participate in the upcoming strikes.
They said: “I feel very apprehensive about striking as I’m unsure of the parental response to it.
“But I also feel validated in striking as our Trust, the GDST, have been totally unprepared to properly engage and properly consult.
“Their financial reasons for cutting our pensions are not valid and have been proven so by the union’s examination of public Trust accounts. It shows a complete lack of respect to Howell’s School’s greatest asset, the staff teams.”
It makes me feel worthless. Shiny logos and posh buildings don’t make a school.”
TEACHER AT HOWELL’S SCHOOL
The teacher also claimed that the GDST has continued to threaten to “fire and rehire” staff to force them into these proposed changes.
They added: “The threat of using the vile practice of ‘fire and rehire’ still looms large over us and is probably the most demotivating aspect of the whole situation.
“It makes me feel worthless. Shiny logos and posh buildings don’t make a school, my colleagues and I do. For all their talk of ‘family’ the GDST are really eroding the trust in their institution.”
Howell’s School is just one of 23 private girls’ schools in the UK affected by this proposal.
Around 1,500 teachers will be striking across the country after 93% of union members voted in favour.
If teachers who have children at these schools choose to strike, they will also have to pay the full tuition fee rather than their usual staff discounted rate.
However, Howell’s School is likely to remain open thanks to the help of some non-striking staff, outside agencies and online teaching. Some year groups may also be combined to make up for a lack of teaching staff.
The GDST, which part-funds Howell’s School and 22 other schools, has never faced a staff strike in its 149-year history.
In 2019 the GDST was forced to raise pension employer contributions under the Government’s Teacher Pension Scheme. The Government covered these costs for state schools but not private schools.
The GDST claims it has been grappling with this extra cost since it was introduced, which prompted them to propose the 3.68% employer contribution cut.
Cheryl Giovannoni, the CEO of the GDST, is disappointed with the planned strike action and the disruptions it will create for teachers, students and families nationwide.
She said: “We understand the strength of feeling amongst our teachers and their concerns, but the National Education Union calling the proposed changes a disaster for staff and pupils is not right.
“Teachers are central to the success of the GDST, and we value their incredible contribution and dedication to the education of girls in our family of schools.
“We would not have put forward these proposals unless we felt they were necessary to support the long-term sustainability of the GDST family of schools, enabling us to continue to provide an excellent and affordable education for girls in our schools, and at the same time ensuring our teachers have a comfortable retirement.”
Ms Giovannoni has also denied that the GDST is “firing and rehiring” staff.
She added: “It is misleading for the NEU to claim the GDST is carrying out a ‘fire and rehire’ exercise. There is a legal process we must follow, which includes notifying the NEU in a Section 188 letter of a potential contractual change. This by no means indicates a pre-determined outcome but reflects our commitment to a meaningful and transparent consultation process.”
Howell’s School strikes will be taking place this Thursday and then on March 1, 2 and 3.
The NEU has called on the GDST to withdraw its proposal and stick to their current pension scheme to avoid further strikes.
Kevin Courtney, joint general secretary of the NEU, said: “The Trust should reflect on just how a large body of committed and hard-working staff have reached this point. Members are resolved and rightly determined to defend their pensions.
“We sincerely hope that strikes can be averted. We call on the GDST to engage seriously with the National Education Union and withdraw the proposal to leave the Teachers’ Pension Scheme.”
