Teachers in England represented by the National Education Union (NEU) are set to initiate new strikes next month as part of their ongoing pay dispute.
On July 5th and 7th, NEU members will walk out, causing disruptions to schools during the current term.
The NEU is currently re-balloting its members to determine if they wish to continue with industrial action for the remainder of the year. Other education unions, including ASCL, NAHT, and NASUWT, are also conducting ballots among their members regarding strikes over pay and funding for teachers in England.
The unions have warned of coordinated action in the autumn term if a resolution to the dispute is not reached.
In a statement, Dr. Mary Bousted and Kevin Courtney, joint general secretaries of the NEU, emphasized that Education Secretary Gillian Keegan has the power to halt the strikes. They have repeatedly called for negotiations to settle the dispute for a fully-funded teacher pay increase but claim their appeals have been ignored.
The NEU noted that the Education Secretary received the School Teachers' Review Body's report and recommendations but did not comment on speculation that it suggested a 6.5% pay rise. The union leaders expressed concerns that the government might not implement or adequately fund the report.
They criticized Keegan for causing uncertainty and disrespecting headteachers by delaying the report's publication. Unlike their counterparts in Scotland and Wales, where pay disputes have been resolved, the Education Secretary in England has allegedly turned her back on teachers.
The NEU stated that strike action is not desirable but seen as the only option when faced with an Education Secretary unwilling to settle the dispute. They urged Keegan to avoid the strikes in July by publishing the STRB report, engaging in substantive talks with the unions, and finding a settlement on its response to the report, funding, and this year's pay rise.
The Department for Education responded, expressing concerns about the impact of further strikes on student learning and parental disruption. They highlighted the significant additional funding schools are receiving and the ongoing consideration of the School Teachers' Review Body's recommendations on teacher pay for 2023/24. The department committed to publishing their response in due course. Photo by AnemoneProjectors (talk), Wikimedia commons.