Following two further days of strike action this week by NEU
teacher members across England for a fully funded pay increase,
Dr Mary Bousted and Kevin Courtney, Joint General
Secretaries of the National Education Union, said:
“We are calling on the Government to publish the STRB report and
restart discussions with the unions, which Government has paused
since before Easter.
‘We believe that the STRB has recommended a 6.5% across the board
pay rise, and if such a rise were properly funded implementing
such a rise could bring this dispute to a close.
‘However, with no word from the Government about the reopening of
negotiations and with rumours that the Government is intending
not to implement the STRB report, the NEU continues with our re
ballot of members for industrial action in September.
‘We will not be alone. Education unions ASCL, NAHT, NASUWT are
also balloting members for strike action. This is an
unprecedented show of determination and unity across the
profession. It is an indication of the desperation and anger felt
by all who teach in our schools and colleges towards a government
who cares little for children and young people’s education and
those who teach them.
‘The responsibility for any action in September lies at the door
of the Prime Minister and the Education Secretary who continue to
refuse to re-enter negotiations with education unions to reach a
settlement on a fully funded pay increase for teachers.
‘No headteacher or teacher wants to be taking strike action but
if there is no resolution to this dispute, strike action across
England’s schools and colleges will be going ahead at the start
of September.
‘The holes that are appearing in our education system after 13
years of neglect by his Government can no longer be plastered
over. The Prime Minister needs to understand that the education
profession and the education system is at breaking point. Years
of real-term pay cuts, a chronic lack of school and college
funding, enormous recruitment and retention challenges,
escalating workload and working hours, and an inspection system
that is doing more harm than good have all taken their toll on
the profession and our children and young people’s education.
‘We urge this Government to recognise the scale of the problem
and start negotiating”.
