upper pay scale 2 for teachers- am I being diddled?

charfield_2

Hi, are any teachers out there having the same issue as me? Here's the story....

I crossed the threshold to upper pay scale 1 three years ago. Only be chance, an ex-colleague of mine asked if I'd progressed onto up2 yet. I investigated and found out I could have progressed onto this a year ago. I then asked my headteacher what I should do- he said that I needed to apply directly to him in writing for me to be assessed to 'move up' the pay scale. I said as this was effectively a year late, would I be able to claim back-dated pay? he said 'no' meaning I've lost out on £2000 before tax.
I since called my union rep and he said this was rubbish (he even laughed at what the head has said) and that I do not actually have to do anything- the application should be submitted to the governors by the head on my behalf with no input from me whatsoever and that this should happen every two years. The majority of teachers are successful and it is based on performance management meetings. To be declined requires proof that a teacher has not met certain criterion- this can incur a fair bit of work for the head and then has to be communicated to the teacher (who may then appeal).
I, myself, (not meaning to sound big-headed here) know that there is no way I would not be passed as I have more than fulfilled my PM targets and done a lot of work within the school besides (and some superb GCSE results to boot).
However, the person(s) responsible for keeping the paperwork for the PM meetings has misplaced (read 'lost') my paperwork for the meeting 2007/8 which goes towards this application for UPS2. My HOD gave me a blank form and suggested I 'fill it in from memory'!!My union were very concerned about this and advised me to write an email to the head outlining the fact that he should have put forward my app. for UPS2 a year ago, that I'm entitled to a year's backdated pay and the seriousness of a confidential document about my PM being lost.
My colleague is in exactly the same boat (except for the lost paperwork bit) and wrote the same email to the head. She received a reply saying that he was going to get back to her on this matter as he is pretty sure that the process requires the teacher to apply him/herself.
My union rep said to let him know if the head does not respond satisfactorily to my email (in other words to agree to give me the backdated pay and put me on UPS2 from this sept with a view to being able to progress to UPS3 next year) and he will intervene.
I go back to work next week, when I will be checking my school emails.
I wonder if anyone else has had this experience and, if so, what was the outcome? At no time in my school has anyone (PM reviewers, senior management) EVER mentioned the upper pay scale to the staff as a whole- I wonder how many teachers have missed out?

Sorry this is so long- but it's really angering me as I feel I have been (in the exact words of my union rep) penalised.

I welcome any input on this! thanks

SarEl

I don't deal with teachers so I have no idea about any of this. Except for one thing. If your union rep is so sure about this then he /she should get off their backsides and do something about it. That is what you are paying the union for.

zenmaster

Jeez. A teacher that can't split their post into readable size chunks!

I don't hold out much hope for the next generation.

kingfisherblue

Teacher's salaries and the progression process follow the rules of what is commonly known at the Burgundy Book. I suggest that you post your query on the Pay and Conditions forum of www.tes.co.uk, where there are posters with more specialist knowledge of this type of dispute. They will also be able to direcct you to the relevant section of the Burgundy Book if you are unable to find it yourself.

charfield_2

Thanks for your replies- as for the future of the next generation, I worry for those who need to have what is essentially one page of writing broken down into 'readable-sized chunks'. Ha ha only joking! But seriously, posting this onto the tes website is a good idea.