Strikes?

Against the backdrop of the government wishing to see pay for teachers return to ‘more sustainable’ levels school unions have been making their positions clear.

The NEU has voted to wait until the pay offer for teachers is published, usually at the end of the summer term, before moving to a formal strike ballot in the autumn term. The union will present the offer to their members in a ‘snap’ poll and if they reject the offer with the required turnout they would then move to a formal ballot on strike action.

The NASUWT teaching union have voted by 78% to reject moving to a formal ballot for strike action at this time, but this does not rule out considering a further national ballot for industrial action on pay at a later date.

The NAHT has called for an increase above the CPI inflation rate for June 2023, which was 7.3 per cent.

ASCL, the NAHT’s sister union which mostly represents secondary leaders, called last week for a fully-funded, above inflation pay increase next year and a plan to fully restore the erosion of pay since 2010.

The government’s analysis has predicted schools will only have headroom to raise spending by 1.2 per cent next year, which would only cover a rise of around 2 per cent. Inflation stood at 4.8% in February 2024.