UCU is campaigning for a pay rise for prison educators.
Your pay has reduced against inflation by over 25% which means you are working one day a week for free compared to 2009.
Average salaries are the lowest in the sector with prison teachers earning on average £10,000 less than secondary school teachers
The cost of living has been rising fast with RPI currently 8.2% and climbing.
The Ministry of Justice have built in an additional PEF contract payment to providers in line with CPI – this should go to prison education staff and not to increase the profit of employers.
The retention and recruitment of experienced prison educators is at crisis point. In a recent UCU/Prisoners’ Learning Alliance survey, 70% of respondents said they intend to leave in the next 5 years. Those staying are under pressure with excessive workloads
We need our prison educators. They are highly-qualified and committed professionals who turn around the lives of prisoners. Reduced re-offending rates benefit everyone.
We the undersigned call on employers to give prison educators a much-needed and deserved pay rise.