Headteachers vote “overwhelmingly” to accept new pay deal

Tuesday 24 October 2023

Headteachers have "overwhelmingly" voted to accept a new pay deal from Government – including a commitment to explore private healthcare options – after staging the first strike in the union’s history.

93% of National Association of Headteachers (NAHT) members in Jersey voted to end the long-running row following an online ballot which opened last Tuesday and closed at noon yesterday (Monday 23 October).

The union will now write to the Government to seek confirmation that an agreement is in place and that the pay row can come to an end. 

Until then, school leaders had joined their colleagues in refusing to work outside core hours or engage with Government requests and had staged a day-long strike in September. Further strikes took place last week, but NAHT members suspended their action on Wednesday after a new offer was received from Government.

As well as commitments relating to their own work, pay and terms and conditions, the new deal includes an ‘Education Reform Allowance’ for school leaders.  

NAHT Assistant General Secretary Rob Kelsall said it was a “tribute to school leaders in Jersey that we have secured an outcome that is the interests of the education system on the island.”

The sentiment was echoed by General Secretary Paul Whiteman, who said the result was “testament to the power of our members' collective endeavour and determination to secure a fair offer”.

Pictured: Carl Howarth, President of the NAHT, said last week that the "most significant change" in the new offer was the recognition about increased demands in the role of school leaders over recent years.

"It must however be just the start of a journey to restore the education profession as an attractive proposition and to ensure all schools have the staff they need to deliver the education children on the island deserve,” he added.

The National Education Union (NEU) remains in dispute with Government. 

What’s new in the NAHT offer? 

The deal, which covers all of 2023, will see the original pay offer of 7.9% backdated to 1 January. Headteachers have also been given: 

• A commitment that Government will explore a private healthcare plan for them, review their terms and conditions and explore other benefits

• An additional ‘Education Reform Allowance’ worth approximately 2.5% 

• A promise for another one-off allowance next year, if work between NAHT and the island’s Government has failed to resolve concerns around workload by 30 October 2024