Teachers in England may strike if the government fails to offer them a pay increase for the following academic year.
The National Teaching Union (NEU), at its conference this week in Harrogate, announced that it would hold a ballot if the recommendation for a 2,8% pay increase next year was not changed.
In a preliminary online poll, 84% of respondents said they would “take action to ensure an increased wage award”. Only 47.2% voted. This is below the 50% threshold required for legal industrial action.
NEU members approved a 5.5% increase in wages for the deal last November. Few weeks later, NEU and other Unions “put the government on notice” in response to the 2.8% offer for 2025/26. The Unite union called it an insult.
The School Teachers’ Review Body recommended the pay increase, but it is the government that makes the final decisions on pay awards based upon the evidence presented.
The Department for Education said that it was dealing with “a challenging economic picture”, despite its commitment to support teachers in their profession.
Bridget Phillipson, Education Secretary, said that industrial action is “indefensible”.
The NEU must first reject the final decision of the government regarding the proposed increase and whether it includes additional funding, or if the schools will have to cover this award with their existing budgets.
Members voted in favor of a plan that would move to a ballot “if the outcome of [School Teachers’ Review Body] remains unacceptable, or if government fails to announce real funding increases during the June spending review”.
Daniel Kebede, the general secretary of the STRB, called on Philipson to “immediately” publish its report. He added that “we are aware it is currently on her desk.” The executive will decide on the next step once we have the report made public, and are aware of the funding agreement.
Kebede stated that strike action may occur in the fall term if the final conclusion of the expenditure review is published by June and the voting process opens immediately afterwards.
He said: “I do not think anyone in this room, in the conference hall, is expecting to receive a 20% pay award at once.
What we’d like to see are a series above-inflation pay awards which fundamentally improve the teacher’s pay.
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