Teachers underpaid for five years, union claims

The National Education Union says additional hours worked have not been paid by Sefton Council

Hundreds of teachers in Merseyside have been underpaid over a period of more than five years, according to the National Education Union (NEU).

The issue relates to a reported a payroll error at Sefton Council between 10 April 2018 and 31 March 2020 and which the union said has collectively left teachers hundreds of thousands of pounds out of pocket.

The dispute intensified on Monday when NEU condemned the local authority for delays and demanded teachers be paid what they are owed for additional hours worked.

The council said it is "committed to resolving this issue for our teachers and continues to work with Sefton NEU to deliver a repayment process for those directly impacted".

NEU claims Sefton Council has failed to make the necessary payments or provide a timetable for rectifying the issue, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Archie Devey, branch and district secretary of Sefton NEU, said: "It is completely unacceptable that dedicated teachers are still waiting to receive money they earned years ago.

"This is not a matter of interpretation or negotiation, it is a clear administrative failure by Sefton Council and our members deserve immediate redress.

"The council's inaction undermines trust, damages morale, and sets a worrying precedent for how local authorities value the people who educate our children.

"The NEU calls on Sefton Council to resolve this issue without further delay and ensure every affected teacher is paid what they are owed."