Below follows Gibraltar NASUWT's Workers' Day Message:

Today, on International Workers’ Day, Gibraltar NASUWT stands in solidarity with educators and workers across Gibraltar and around the world. May Day is not only a moment of reflection on the progress made through collective action, but also a call to continue advocating for fairness, dignity, and respect in the workplace.

As teachers, we play a vital role in shaping the future of our community. Our commitment extends far beyond the classroom, supporting students, families, and society. Yet, this responsibility must be matched with proper recognition, fair working conditions, and sustained investment in education.
We reaffirm our commitment to:

*Protecting the rights and wellbeing of all education professionals
*Ensuring manageable workloads and safe working environments
*Advocating for competitive remuneration that reflects the importance of our profession
*Securing the resources necessary for high-quality teaching and learning

This year, the union has prioritised the issue of misbehaviour in schools, responding directly to the significant concerns consistently raised by its members. The rising number of instances of violence and severe behavioural disruption in schools demand a firm, coherent response grounded in effective behaviour management and clear institutional boundaries. While some pupils have genuine additional needs, an increasing proportion of highly dysregulated behaviour stems from inconsistent expectations and the absence of robust, enforceable standards, particularly around aggression towards education professionals.

Gibraltar NASUWT has consistently raised concerns with the Government that shortcomings in current legislation and policy are leaving staff inadequately protected and weakening the authority needed to sustain safe and orderly school environments. A clearly articulated framework, including zero-tolerance for violence and credible consequences for misconduct, is essential not only for staff safety but also for the wider school community.

The Government has a fundamental duty of care to its employees and must act decisively to strengthen protections and ensure that staff and pupils work and learn in safe, structured, and respectful environments. This requires moving away from unproven, ineffective, and costly educational fads, returning to core principles of discipline and teaching, and listening to the real experts: the classroom teachers.

Turning to the issue of supply teachers, Gibraltar NASUWT wishes to highlight ongoing concerns regarding their lack of clear pathways to permanency. Supply teachers continue to provide essential continuity in our schools, yet it is unacceptable that some remain on temporary contracts for as long as seven years. The current policy, which sets out a pathway to permanency after four years of continuous service, is clearly not operating effectively or equitably in practice. The union will continue to advocate for supply teachers and engage constructively with Government to establish a fairer, transparent system that properly recognises service and provides a realistic route to secure employment.

We acknowledge the dedication and resilience shown by our members every day. Your work is essential, and your voices matter.

On this May Day, we urge continued unity and dialogue. Progress is achieved when we stand together, engage constructively, and remain focused on building a stronger, fairer education system for all.