In a brewing standoff between educators and government officials, teachers across England and Wales are contemplating a strike in September over unresolved pay issues, the National Education Union (NEU) has announced.
The NEU, one of the largest teaching unions in the UK, is poised to debate the matter on Thursday, with members expected to vote on whether to initiate a formal strike ballot.
However, the leadership of the NEU retains the authority to call for a ballot independently, should they deem it necessary. Any potential strike action would necessitate a majority vote in favour, with a turnout of at least 50%.
The Department for Education in England has expressed concerns, stating that further strikes could lead to more disruption for pupils, emphasizing the impact on their education.
Last year, teachers staged multiple strikes across the UK, with NEU members in England conducting eight days of industrial action.
At the NEU conference held in Bournemouth, general secretary Daniel Kebede highlighted the growing frustration among teachers, signalling a potential move towards a formal strike ballot.
During an informal consultative ballot in recent weeks, NEU members in England and Wales overwhelmingly expressed their willingness to strike, with around 90% indicating their readiness for industrial action.
Kebede underscored the significance of this result, urging Education Secretary Gillian Keegan to take their concerns seriously.
Conversely, the NASUWT, another prominent teachers’ union, held a consultative ballot in England, where 78% of participants rejected the notion of proceeding to a formal ballot.
General secretary Patrick Roach cited members’ reluctance to further disrupt lives already in tumult, stressing the need for government support for teachers and students alike.
The issue of pay disparity remains at the heart of the dispute. Despite a 6.5% pay rise accepted by all four teaching unions in July last year, experienced teachers still face a 12% decrease in real wages since 2010-11, when accounting for inflation.
Unions continue to advocate for fully funded pay increases above inflation to address recruitment and retention challenges. As negotiations for the 2024-25 pay award are underway, no formal offer has been extended to teachers in England or Wales.
The School Teachers’ Review Body is expected to provide its recommendations in due course. In response to calls for a pay rise, Education Secretary Gillian Keegan emphasized the need for a more sustainable approach compared to previous years.
The Department for Education urged unions to engage with the review process instead of resorting to strike action preemptively, highlighting the substantial increases in school funding in recent years.
A Welsh government official acknowledged the financial constraints imposed by the UK government’s austerity measures, urging consideration of the broader fiscal context in meeting the cost of the teachers’ pay award.
With tensions escalating and the prospect of industrial action looming, the coming months could prove pivotal in determining the resolution of the ongoing pay dispute between teachers and government authorities in England and Wales.
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