'Give me a fair and decent wage'

Strike affects 900 Welsh schools

Helen Robbins, a teacher at Penygarn Community Primary School in Torfaen, explains why she is joining the National Union of Teachers' first national strike for 21 years.

Let me tell you about myself. I've been teaching for eight years. In order to become a teacher I got a degree in history from Swansea University and then a PGCE [Postgraduate Certificate in Education] from Newport.

When I started teaching I also returned to university in the evenings for five years in order to get an MA in education management.

I can't believe that after all this study and hard work I now have to strike over my pay.

I'm surrounded by friends who graduated at the same time as me, who now work in the private sector earning twice as much if not three times as much as I do.

Whilst they put in the standard 37-hour week, I'm working on average 60 hours. I'm not being greedy. I'm not asking for a double in my salary - just a fair and decent wage.

I have a mortgage of �63,000 (which is relatively low compared to most) and yet this month my mortgage payments stand to increase by �70 a month.

Is it right that I'm worth less this year than I was last year?

Helen Robbins

But I am lucky! The average newly qualified teacher's pay will not qualify them to secure a mortgage in 75% of the towns in England and Wales.

At least I am on the property ladder. My only problem is staying on it. What of those who can't afford to reach the first rung?

Combine this with an increase in utility bills, council tax, petrol, food, childcare (a new born baby) and general living costs and I can honestly say despite being on the upper pay scale we only just make ends meet.

Is it right that I'm worth less this year than I was last year? And despite knowing that this is how the government see me I'm supposed to inspire and challenge my pupils?

Is it any wonder that morale is low in the teaching profession particularly amongst young teachers who effectively are losing more than �2 a day, every day, and will continue to do so until their pay awards match inflation?

I'm presently supplementing my income by working as a musical director for a choir in the evenings so that we can have the nice things like holidays, days out and treats.

Inflation

A lot of my friends who have children have asked me why there is the need to strike. Why are we causing disruption for children?

I reply with the fact that I'm striking because I care about my pupils and because I believe they deserve the best.

And unfortunately hundreds of great young teachers are leaving the profession each year because of the pay and furthermore many excellent graduates are choosing not to enter the profession because of its pay.

Over half the teachers who train have left the profession within five years. It's the first time the NUT has gone on strike in 21 years, because my union believes it's time something was done.

Inflation has cut the starting pay for graduates entering the teaching profession by �1,000 a year. Other graduates starting pay now averages �3,000 more.

For a teacher such as myself on the upper pay scale, my loss in salary since 2005 is �1.600. Add in the current inflation rate and by this time next year I will have lost �4,000.

I don't know about you, but there are lots of things that I could do with four grand!

It's time this government woke up to itself and realised that teachers are not making unreasonable demands but just asking for the fair pay rise they deserve.

I know that I will never earn the kind of six-figure salaries enjoyed by those in the city. But that is because I chose this profession which I enjoy and take enormous pleasure from.

My union understands that all we want is fair pay for teachers - fair treatment for us all.