NEU to Ballot Members on Strikes After Government Pay Recommendation

The National Education Union announced it will hold a formal ballot this autumn on whether to strike if the government stands by its pay recommendation. Members of the NEU walked out over pay in 2023. The union said it would proceed with the ballot unless the government takes urgent action.

5% pay award spread over the next three years. 5% pay award is unlikely to match inflation and called it an insult. The union wants the pay offer for teachers to be above inflation.

3% in the year to March. The Bank of England warned inflation could increase still further this year following a significant energy price shock. The NEU also wants the government to fully fund pay rises so schools do not have to find money for them in existing budgets.

NEU general secretary Daniel Kebede said no member wants to be taking strike action. He said pay and workload issues had fuelled a recruitment and retention crisis that is directly impacting education. Daniel Kebede said unfunded below-inflation pay increases are an insult.

"The government is well aware that schools do not have the money to fund them," Daniel Kebede said. He added that to avoid this collision course the government needs to step up and deliver the properly funded education system our children and young people deserve. The Department for Education said the NEU's announcement was extremely disappointing.

A Department for Education spokeswoman said it will be children, young people and hard-working parents who will pay the price for any industrial action. The Department for Education said it has taken action to restore teaching as the highly valued profession it should be including boosting pay, and tackling poor pupil behaviour, high workload, and poor wellbeing.