Amsterdam links compliance with the collective labor agreement to combating teacher shortage
Amsterdam schools that do not comply properly with the collective labor agreement cannot make use of measures to combat the teacher shortage. The Amsterdam city council passed two motions for this at the end of June.
Image: Municipality of Amsterdam
This concerns affordable housing, travel allowance or cheap parking options for educational staff.
At the end of June, two motions were passed in the Amsterdam city council to reinforce the municipality's plan of approach for teacher shortage. The SP wants the agreements in the collective labor agreement on guidance for starting teachers to be observed, otherwise schools may not make use of the many measures that the municipality of Amsterdam makes available to attract teachers. This concerns measures such as affordable housing, travel allowance and cheap parking options.
Wide majority
The proposal to ensure that school boards comply with the collective labor agreements received a large majority in the council. Only education party D66 voted against, because they believe that CLA compliance is not a topic for the municipality. SP council member Erik Flentge thinks that the municipality can make this a condition. “In the collective labor agreement for primary education, agreements have been made about the supervision of starting teachers. They are entitled to extra time to prepare lessons. Teachers and de Algemene Onderwijsbond report that the school boards do not always comply with the collective labor agreement. As a result, starting teachers – despite their enthusiasm and enormous effort – soon go under. The Amsterdam aid is therefore conditional on the boards adhering to their own agreements."
Allow teaching assistants to continue
In addition, a proposal from the SP was accepted to provide financial support for teaching assistants to move on to teacher training. Other large cities are also taking measures to combat the teacher shortage.
Rotterdam is experimenting with a one-off payment of 5000 euros for teachers in shortage subjects. The Hague is committed to professionalisation and a Teachers' Fair in The Hague.
De AOb is pleased that municipalities are concerned about the teacher shortage problem and are looking for ways to make the profession more attractive. However, the union believes it is important that sustainable solutions are sought and not measures that only extinguish the fire. The quality of education should not be compromised, so it is important that municipalities are not tempted to put unauthorized people in front of the class or lure certain teachers with bonuses. The AOb This week also presented a job plan that contains measures to solve the teacher shortage.
