Conference hears Nick Gibb justify proposals for long-term reform that have prompted ballot for ATL industrial action
Schools minister Nick Gibb was heckled by teachers as he attempted to justify proposed changes to their pensions that have prompted a ballot for industrial action.
Delegates at the Association of Teachers and Lecturers annual conference in Liverpool harangued Gibb, shouting "rubbish", "evidence" and "no, you don't" as he told them he understood their concerns.
ATL delegates voted for a ballot on strike action over pensions on Tuesday. The union fears that the changes will mean teachers working longer, paying increased contributions, and receiving less when they retire.
Gibb, the first coalition minister to address a teaching union conference, told the delegates the cost of paying teachers' pensions is forecast to rise from around £5bn in 2005 to almost £10bn by 2015.
"The combination of more teacher pensioners and the increase in their life expectancy has meant that the cost of teachers' pensions increases every year.
"This is why long-term reform of public service schemes is needed – and why teachers and other public service scheme members are being asked to pay a higher pension contribution from April 2012."
Gibb said the government was engaged in discussions with trade unions with the aim of agreeing a package of principles for pension reform by the end of June. He urged them not to walk out of classrooms.
"I fully understand the strength of feeling here in this room – but I strongly urge the ATL to wait for the outcome of those discussions before deciding on whether to take further action."
The National Union of Teachers will debate a motion calling for a series of one-day strikes over pensions at its conference later this week. Co-ordinated strike action could close schools by June.
The pension reforms, in a government-commissioned report by former Labour minister Lord Hutton, include raising the normal retirement age for state employees from 60 to 66 by 2020.
Final-salary schemes will be scrapped and replaced by payments based on career averages. Ministers will also get more powers to raise employee contributions.