Country’s largest teacher union to run indicative ballot in March asking members to back strike action
Country’s largest teacher union to run indicative ballot in March asking members to back strike action
Country’s largest teacher union to run indicative ballot in March asking members to back strike action
The National Education Union (NEU) will hold an indicative strike ballot in March, asking teachers if they would back further strikes over pay and school funding.
The union said that government “looks set to back a paltry” 1 to 2 per cent pay rise for teachers this year.
Education secretary Gillian Keegan last month warned the body that makes pay recommendations they must consider evidence on the “impact of pay rises on schools’ budgets”.
The NEU’s indicative ballot would be held on March 2, and will test members’ appetite to strike again after a series of walkouts last year that only ended after an improved 6.5 per cent pay offer.
However a formal ballot would have to be held before legal industrial action could be called.
NEU general secretary Daniel Kebede wrote to education secretary Gillian Keegan on Wednesday demanding “urgent talks on teacher pay”.
A spokesperson said: “The NEU executive have agreed to hold an indicative ballot of teacher members in March.
“It will ask members about their willingness to take strike action for a fully funded pay increase as a meaningful step to achieve a long-term correction in pay. The NEU executive on February 24 will confirm all details.”
