If union members vote in favour of strike action, teacher strikes in England and Wales could take place in February, closing many state schools.
Teaching unions in England and Wales are balloting members in a dispute over pay, with the National Education Union (NEU), school leaders union NAHT and the NASUWT all announcing results in the coming days. The majority of state schools may close due to industrial action.
On Monday, January 9, the government met with unions to discuss pay increases. While talks with Education Secretary Gillian Keegan were welcomed, Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the NEU, expressed uncertainty about what could be accomplished.
She claimed that teachers have lost 24 percent of their pay in real terms since 2010, while support staff have lost 27 percent over the same time period. She told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that a one-time payment to teachers would be “superficially appealing,” but would cause additional problems because it would not be properly built into future pay.
Following the meeting, a spokesperson for the Department of Education stated, “[Ms Keegan] expressed the importance of working together to avoid strike action, especially given the significant disruption caused by the pandemic in recent years.”
So what do you think? Is it time for teachers to get a fair pay rise to protect children’s education? Let your voice be heard.