The National Education Union (NEU) has voted to prepare for a formal strike ballot, raising the prospect of further teacher strikes. Delegates at the NEU's conference in Harrogate passed a motion to 'immediately prepare' for industrial action if the government's final pay offer for 2025/26 remains unacceptable or if real-terms funding increases are not announced in the June spending review.
The government has recommended a 2.8% pay rise for teachers from September, which the NEU has condemned as 'inadequate and unfunded'. The union warns that the offer would effectively be a pay cut against inflation and would undermine the government's target of recruiting 6,500 additional teachers. The motion stated that 'austerity will be ended by deeds not words' and called for a fully funded above-inflation pay rise.
Last week, 93.7% of NEU members who voted rejected the 2.8% pay award, and 83.4% expressed willingness to strike. Turnout was 47.2% of eligible members. The government has yet to publish the recommendations of the School Teachers' Review Body or its decision on them.
NEU General Secretary Daniel Kebede said: 'Members have put the Government on notice. The unfunded and inadequate 2.8% proposed increase would mean another pay cut against inflation and see teacher pay fall further behind other professions.' He called for the immediate publication of the STRB report and a commitment to reversing pay cuts since 2010.
