PAY CAMPAIGN RESPONSES: (updated 28 June 2007) page 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

Life is hard especially for young teachers. House prices are high, council tax rates are high and we loose a lot each month to student loan repayments. I'm sure if I divided my pay by the numbers of hours I actually work, including evenings and weekends, it wouldn't be very much at all per hour. J, Suffolk

I graduated in management, but chose a career in education as I wanted to make a difference. It was a difficult decision as all the other graduates were going into well paid positions. But I believed, in time, with all inflation increases and government incentives for people to continue working in this sector it would not be the wrong decision. I am in shock! I have only been teaching five years and already I want to leave. If I had of worked in the private sector I would have been earning twice as much! Tracy, East Sussex

I was disgusted by the fact that when the Government brought in its system of TLRs, the assimilation had to be either upwards or downwards. I am doubtless not the only one to have been assimilated downwards, meaning that I will very soon take a considerable drop in salary. I left the labour party as I do not feel that I can be a member of a political party which cuts any worker's pay. Robin, Wandsworth

I am almost at the end of my NQT year. At 41 I am being paid the same scale as a 23 year old fresh out of university, yet I have a wealth of previous experience which has made me the teacher I am. With two children and a mortgage plus travelling expenses to cover a 60 mile round trip to work, I am now wondering why the hell I left a good job to follow my dream and join this profession...it can only be love of the job! When will the government pay us our worth. They are constantly expecting us to raise standards but offering no remuneration for the hours we put in...after all any one of us could be teaching the next PM! Alison, Cumbria

I have been teaching for almost two years. My pay only just meets my costs of living meaning and I have little disposable income to pay for home improvements, keeping a car and living a life. Last year I received information that thanks to an increase in pension contributions I would experience an overall loss in salary even with the annual increase to the pay scales. Is it fair that we teachers should experience a net loss in pay coupled with an increased cost in living? L, Derbyshire

I would have been better off remaining in waitressing! At least there the pay rises and tips were in line with inflation! My increasing mortgage payments have resulted in my salary falling shorter by the month! I thought the government was trying to encourage young qualified people to go into teaching? How ironic. Laura, Blackpool

Below inflation increases are a pay cut. My council tax; house insurance; payments for petrol; TV licence; water charges; childcare fees etc have all increased above the rate of inflation. Why then should I be expected to accept a below inflation pay award which reflects a decrease in my spending power? - Patricia, Lewisham

I am a young (ish) teacher trying to get on the property ladder. With the average two bed flat costing a whopping SIX TIMES MY SALARY I am only able to begin to look now, having saved for the past five years. Add this to higher interest rates, inflation and increased living costs I do wonder just how much the government value teachers. After all they did agree to look at teachers' pay if inflation went up...but will they really do anything? - Phil, Southend

Needless to say this is a government that has no respect for teachers. If teachers are not taken care of there is no way the education sector can benefit. The government can pump as much money into education as it likes. It would be like pouring money into a bottomless pit if this is not reflected in teachers' salaries. My wife is a nurse and we have 2 children. We are expecting a third child and have a mortgage to pay. If there is another rise in inflation then we might wonder if it's worth our whille working. - David, Bromley

I left a well paid job as a Chief Executive earning in excess of £60,000 to become a teacher. I was not expecting to attain the same salary but expected one that would have reflected the experience gained outside. I was shocked to find out that I was on M1. With three primary age children I am close to the poverty line. I have been keeping an eye out for another job in industry. If Gordon Brown wants a world class economy then he needs world class workers educated to the highest standards. That costs money! - Iain, Durham

In a one income household, with a teenager to support, pay is an ongoing issue. The mortgage, council tax and utility bills have all gone up. My daughter and I worry about financing a university education. Two per cent means a pay cut. How young teachers just starting out are coping is beyond me. We MUST take industrial action to show this government we mean business. Teachers are being walked on! How much money is being thrown at the Academy programme? - Janice, Stockport

The pay rise or the lack of it due to spiralling costs of living is making our job a joke. A mortgage and four children take all our earnings and what do we get back from the government, yep more lies, red tape etc. The trouble is why should we trust the government and especially an ex jumped up head of the postman union? What is he going to do about the lack of morale in this profession? SPEAK UP! - Innes,

I am just about to complete my second full year of teaching. I currently live in a house share and find it increasingly frustrating that I cannot afford to move out and buy my own house. The majority of housing is out of my grasp, especially as a single person. I find it rather upsetting that someone who is in a professional job that should be well paid cannot afford to get on the housing ladder. Even my friends (also teachers) who have partners struggle to buy houses. It’s like someone is having a sick joke at our expense! I genuinely love my job and I would hate to leave teaching, but the government needs to do something about our pay. - Martin, Cheshire

I am coming to the end of my 6th year of teaching and during this time I have had two children. I strongly believed that being in such a profession I wouldn't have to worry about finances. People like me, however, receive very little help financially whilst on maternity leave, are still expected to work a ridiculous amount of hours and still manage to do duties, extra curricular activities and parent's evenings. I love my job, but I ask you, is this reasonable, realistic pay for what we are challenged with on a day to day basis? - K, Greater Manchester

I currently work as a deputy head and I am horrified that I work more than 9 hours every day in school then work evenings and weekends too … Not to mention my council tax has gone up more a month than my pay rise. I have also had increases in my mortgage rate, home insurance and car insurance - none of which can be covered with the low pay rise. I have been teaching for 9 years and studied four years to do this profession but I would never suggest for anyone else to consider the job. - H, Suffolk

I've moved from a teacher to a consultant and have been put on Soulbury. This means that after 4 years my pay has not even kept pace with the teachers’ pay scale. I work as hard as when I was in school and am on a par with Assistant heads and Deputy heads but don't get near the wage! And I no longer get the Hols! So I'm thinking of going back in because I just can't afford to keep doing this vital job anymore - Sam, Greenwich

PAY CAMPAIGN RESPONSES: page 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17