Scrap Zero-Hour Contracts: end the two-tier workforce

A teacher writes on the huge problems facing supply teachers and education support workers: Thousands of schools across the country were ordered to close with little to no preparation. Many schools were unable to identify children of key workers and were left juggling rotas of staff deemed absolutely necessary to ensure that schools could remain open, provide school meals and a place of safety for some vulnerable children.

Students who had devoted years of study and were preparing to sit GCSE examinations in Year 11 or A-Levels in year 13 were sent home with little to no reassurances.

Sadly, they were not the only people sent home without reassurances. Thousands of supply teachers and education support workers were left high and dry. In the build up to school closures, some agencies were busily issuing P45s to agency workers in advance of any government scheme. Long term supply contracts were ripped up and staff sent home with no guarantee of pay, with bills stacking up – rent/mortgages and families to support.

Supply teachers often work intermittently and their rates of pay have been forced down in recent years as the main supply agencies compete for work in schools. The market is overcrowded and competition is fierce in order to win contracts with schools that obtain a profitable margin for their business. Over 82% of supply teachers obtain work via agencies¹ and daily rates of pay can vary widely as teachers are pushed into accepting ‘cover supervisor roles’ for as little as £65 a day. Others may obtain work between £90-120 a day or more if on a long-term contract and expected to fulfil the duties of a teacher at the school without holiday pay or sick pay. Government cuts in education budgets were forcing schools to push down wages to the minimum leaving some supply teachers struggling to turn down work at £70 a day due to financial difficulties and 31% reported a decline in work in recent months². Rates of pay have not increased and 39% of supply teachers fall into the £50-119 bracket, and may get one or more days a week but sometimes nothing.

Supply teachers earn significantly below the teachers’ pay scale and struggle to save money and make ends meet. Earnings in term time support them over extended holiday periods. Some have used foodbanks and 17% claimed benefits.

The role is varied and challenging. Many supply teachers arrive at schools at one hour’s notice and are expected to digest school behaviour policies, student data, decipher and deliver lessons to students they have never met before. Sadly some schools are not always welcoming and a recent survey by the NASUWT reported that 11% of those surveyed were rarely made to feel welcome, 13% had no access to toilet facilities, 26% had access to staff workroom facilities, 45% reported no car parking access and 52% had no access to food or drinking facilities³. We have a two-tier workforce closed out of the Teacher’s Pension Scheme, sickness and maternity agreements as employers often renege on agreements. Many agency workers feel vulnerable and at risk if they raise complaints, and fear that they may not receive work. They have few rights.

Although the National Education Union advocates a centrally run scheme at local authority level, only 4% of supply teachers work directly via a Local Authority run supply pool.

The Coronavirus has revealed the lack of protection for zero hours contracted workers. The guidance from the National Education Union released on the 27th March provides practical solutions to some questions⁴. Sadly, those without a contract or whose contract has been prematurely terminated may not be entitled to statutory sickness entitlements. It is disgraceful that some schools and agencies have washed their hands of their employees, and highlights the appalling conditions that the zero-hour contract economy workers face. The premature termination has meant that some may no longer have the ability to claim 80% of wages as part of the Government’s furloughed worker scheme. Unions are encouraging members to challenge this and actively supporting many members. It is imperative that agencies and schools be taken to task, supply teachers and education workers cannot live off thin air.

The Government must pay all zero hours contract workers now.

Managers and business leaders often claim that the zero-hour contracts give them flexibility. They are not so flexible for the employees, the reality is one of misery.

“I can’t get a mortgage as a supply teacher. I have no job security. I don’t get holiday pay or sick pay. I’ve missed appointments for my own children as I don’t feel able to ask to have a day off as I have no contract.”⁵

We don’t just want to end the zero-hour contracts in the education sector- we want to end them in all sectors. We deserve dignity at work: end the two-tier workforce.

Ban zero hours contracts

Employment rights from day one

End poverty and inequality at work

Fund Schools

Create a Local Authority Supply Pool for Education Workers

For more information about agency workers, consult the excellent campaigns:

Better Than Zero: https://www.betterthanzero.scot/covid-19—support/

TUC: https://www.tuc.org.uk/resource/covid-19-coronavirus-guidance-unions-updated-30-march