Union delegates jeer as Nick Gibb defends coalition plans, while poll shows scale of opposition to education changes
The schools minister, Nick Gibb, was heckled and jeered by teachers as he attempted to justify proposed changes to their pensions that have prompted a ballot for industrial action.
When Gibb told delegates at the Association of Teachers and Lecturers annual conference in Liverpool: "I fully understand the strength of feeling on this," and said teachers' pensions remained a priority, he was greeted by shouts of "no, you don't" and "rubbish" – along with calls for evidence of the need for change.
ATL delegates voted to ballot for strike action over pensions, which could see schools shut by June. The union fears the changes will mean teachers working longer, paying increased contributions and receiving less when they retire.
Teachers are also fiercely opposed to the coalition's education changes, with a survey underlining the challenge facing the government. The survey commissioned by the Sutton Trust found only 8% of teachers believe free schools will raise standards, while 69% believe the expansion of academies will lead to greater social segregation.
Gibb told the ATL that the cost of paying teachers' pensions was forecast to rise from about £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 the principles for pension reform by the end of June. He urged them not to walk out of classrooms.
In a question and answer session, one delegate accused the education secretary, Michael Gove, of political cowardice for failing to address the conference. The minister replied: "Michael Gove is on holiday. He is speaking at two trade union conferences." His remarks were greeted with laughter and shouts of "so are we".
All government departments switch between secretary of state and ministers for speeches, he said, adding: "I think you got the best deal, to be frank."
Gove spoke to heads at the Association of School and College Leaders conference in Manchester last month. He is also due to address the National Association of Head Teachers when members gather in Brighton at the end of April.
Gibb was asked if he was surprised that so many universities were opting to charge the maximum £9,000 tuition fees. He told the conference, to further heckling, that a "difficult decision had to be taken" and pointed out no students would pay back their loans until after they graduated.
The hostility was unexpected from the ATL, traditionally the most moderate of the three main teaching unions.
Dr Mary Bousted, the union's general secretary, said it was the frostiest reception she had seen an ATL audience give. "If ATL is so angry, where is the government going to go on its pension reforms?" she asked. "We're middle England, if you alienate us where do you go?"
Speaking afterwards, Gibb said: "I thought it was a nice reception – very polite. There is clearly a huge passion about the pensions issue, there's no question about that. I knew there was a passion because of yesterday's vote but I think today's reaction ... brings it home more seriously that there's a lot of anxiety over it."
The Sutton Trust survey finds that fewer than one in 10 teachers think the coalition's introduction of more academies and establishing free schools will improve the educational outcomes of disadvantaged children. More than half of teachers thought schools should be able to offer pay incentives to recruit good staff. The survey also finds support for sacking bad teachers – 57% agreed that schools lacked the freedom to dismiss poorly performing staff.
Sir Peter Lampl, chairman of the Sutton Trust, said: "Teachers are not only knowledgeable about what is likely to work, but they are also the key players in implementing government reforms and the fact that less than 10% think they will improve outcomes for less privileged children is very serious. Clearly the government has a lot of work to do to convince teachers, who remain fearful that moves to increase school freedoms will actually widen attainment gaps between poorer pupils and their more privileged peers."