Münster (dpa / lnw) - Because of unequal pay, two primary school teachers are going to the North Rhine-Westphalian Higher Administrative Court. An OVG spokeswoman confirmed the receipt of the appeal on Tuesday. The Düsseldorf Administrative Court had approved the salary differences between elementary school and high school teachers, which had been controversial for years, with two judgments in May, but allowed the appeal because of the fundamental importance.
In North Rhine-Westphalia, primary school teachers are paid salary grade A12, and high school teachers A13. The difference in the basic salary for job starters is well over 400 euros gross per month. The plaintiff teachers had referred to the training of both groups, which has been largely the same in North Rhine-Westphalia since 2009. In addition, the activities performed did not differ so significantly that the difference was justified, the teachers had argued.
The court disagreed. First, the legislature has broad constitutional leeway in structuring pay grades. Second, the principle of equality is not violated. Everyday working life at elementary, secondary and secondary schools on the one hand and grammar schools and comprehensive schools on the other hand differs so greatly that the different salary brackets are appropriate and not arbitrary.
