Further strikes by school teachers in the UK are set to go ahead this month after negotiations on pay increases failed to make progress.
The UK government, which is responsible for education in England, has failed to make new pay offers for the current financial year. Officials in Scotland and Wales made increased pay offers, but they have been rejected by the unions.
Education Secretary Gillian Keegan met the general secretaries of unions representing teachers and head teachers in England on Feb. 15, but union bosses called the talks “disappointing.”
Kevin Courtney, the joint general secretary of the National Education Union (NEU), told the PA news agency the meeting with Keegan had a “better tone” than previous talks, but there was “no movement” from the government.
“Whilst there has been movement in Wales and a forecast movement in Scotland, there has been no movement at all on this year’s pay from that meeting, nor any discussion on next year’s pay,” he said.
“There is nothing in it that could persuade us not to go ahead with the action that we’ve got scheduled for the week after half-term.”
Regional walkouts by NEU members in England are planned for Feb. 28, March 1, and March 2, with a national strike action planned for March 15 and March 16.
Pay Offers Rejected
While the DfE offered a 5 percent pay rise to most teachers for the current school year, the NEU is demanding a fully funded above-inflation pay rise for teachers.The majority of schools in England were forced to shut their doors to some pupils during the first day of walkouts by NEU members this month.
The NEU suspended a day of strike action in Wales this week while it considered a pay offer made by the Welsh government, which offered teachers an extra 1.5 percent on this year’s 5 percent pay award, as well as a 1.5 percent one-off payment.
The union has rejected the pay offer and has rescheduled a strike action in schools across Wales for March 2.
On Feb. 14, the Scottish government made a new pay offer for teachers in Scotland, where teachers who earn up to £80,000 would be given a 6 percent pay boost backdated to April 2022 and a further 5.5 percent from the start of the 2023 financial year, representing 11.5 percent over two years.
But the EIS teaching union rejected the pay offer on Feb. 15 and said it will continue with its planned industrial actions “until a more credible offer is put on the negotiating table.”
Shirley-Anne Somerville, Scotland’s education secretary, described a union’s decision to reject the latest teacher pay offer as “deeply disappointing.”
“It is a fair offer—the fifth that has been made to unions—and would have meant a salary rise of 11.5 percent for most teachers in April, with a cumulative rise of almost 30 percent since January 2018.
Further Strikes ‘Inevitable’
Education unions have used the new pay offers from the Scottish and Welsh governments to put pressure on the UK government.Patrick Roach, general secretary of the NASUWT teaching union, said: “Given developments in Wales and Scotland in the last week, the education secretary has some catching up to do. Whilst other administrations are trying to find a way forward, the same commitment to find a settlement is now needed from ministers in Westminster.”
Further strikes may be “inevitable,” said Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL).
“Unless there is tangible progress towards an improved offer, the prospect of further strike action by NEU members is inevitable and will lead to members of our union, and other education unions, also concluding that industrial action is the only option left,” he said.
“Education Secretary Gillian Keegan held further constructive talks with union leaders today,“ a DfE spokesperson said. ”They discussed a range of issues such as workload reduction, and recruitment and retention.
“The education secretary instructed officials to hold further detailed talks with unions and committed to more talks ahead of planned strike action.”
Jason Elsom, the CEO of Parentkind, a membership organisation for parent-teacher associations, called on Feb. 15 for the talks between union leaders and ministers to find “a resolution” to avoid further strikes.
“The feedback we’ve received indicates parents are aware of the impact shortages of teachers is having on their children’s education and trust that teachers only make the decision to strike as a last resort,” he said.
“We’re clear that both parties should meet with mutual respect and understanding, to negotiate a resolution. Only through constructive and positive dialogue can further strikes be avoided.”
