FURTHER industrial action is now set to take place after teachers in the National Education Union have rejected the latest government pay offer.
The offer would see a one-off £1,000 payment per teacher as well as a 4.3% rise in wages from next year, and starting salaries would also have risen to £30,000 in September.
Following an overwhelming 98% of union members balloted voting to reject the offer, the union has now confirmed that further strikes are set to go ahead.
Teachers in England will now strike on Thursday, April 27, and Tuesday, May 2, though provisions are being put in place for GCSE and A-level students.
The NEU described the offer as “insulting,” claiming that it had “united the profession” in outrage.
It comes after the joint general secretaries described the offer as “not fully funded” at a conference in Harrogate.
Education secretary Gillian Keegan described the rejection of the pay offer as “extremely disappointing,” and said that further strikes would “simply result in more disruptions for children and less money for teachers.”
She also contested that the offer was unfunded, describing a “major new investment” of more than half a billion pounds.
Union leaders called for further negotiations after footage from the NEU’s annual conference showed attendees cheering after hearing news of the offer’s rejection.
NEU members are also due to vote on three further strike days currently planned for the end of June, though this is yet to be approved by the executive.
The NASUWT, the NAHT school leaders’ union, and the Assosciation of School and College Leaders are all currently balloting members on the latest pay offer, though only the NAHT is currently balloting on strike action.It follows teachers in Scotland agreeing to a 7% pay rise for the current academic year, with a further 7% rise by 2024, and NEU members in Wales agreeing to an overall rise of 11%.
