Commenting on today’s strike action by NEU members, Kevin
Courtney, Joint General Secretary of the National Education
Union, said:
"It is with regret that the NEU has had to take another day of
strike action over the issue of a fully-funded pay increase for
teachers. needs to come forward with
a better pay and funding offer if she is to avert further
strikes. As it stands, she has taken her ball home with her and
refuses to engage. This is irresponsible in the extreme and is a
complete failure by the education secretary and Government to
recognise the damage they are doing to education and the
profession.
" has achieved nothing this
past month other than to bring the teaching profession together.
98% of NEU members rejected her pay and funding offer on a
two-thirds turnout. Three other unions have received similarly
overwhelming verdicts from their membership. In total, four
education unions will now carry out ballots this summer term with
a view to co-ordinated action in the autumn term.
"The Department for Education should be in no doubt that teachers
are fully committed to securing a resolution to the pay dispute.
It is inescapable that something must change. It is beyond
argument that the Government is missing its teacher training
targets by an enormous gap, and that teachers are leaving in
great numbers. This is an unsustainable situation, brought on by
devalued pay, high workload, and persistent underfunding of
schools over 13 years.
“Gillian Keegan needs to accept the role and responsibility she
has as Education Secretary and restart the negotiations with
unions that she appears to have entirely abandoned.”
