Teachers may take strike action, says NEU

Teachers in Wales and England could strike over pay in September, the National Education Union (NEU) has reported. 

The NEU held an informal preliminary ballot which found over 90 per cent of teachers said they would strike for a fully-funded, above-inflation pay rise. 

Members debating pay today (4 April) are expected to vote on whether to hold a formal strike ballot.

Speaking at the NEU's conference, general secretary Daniel Kebede: "My view is if there is a decision to go for a formal ballot, we should conduct that over a fairly significant period of time, looking to take action in September."

He said: "For every member of support staff lost, their considerable workload is simply redistributed amongst an already beleaguered staff."

Kebede saud this has an impact on the education of children and young people, especially pupils with SEND whose individual contact time is "put at risk by the loss of support staff."

Strikes in England ended last year in July, after all four teaching unions accepted the government's 6.5 per cent pay rise. 

The starting salary now starts at £30,000, but many say this does not take the cost-of-living crisis into account.

Kebede also commented that only 3 per cent of the NEU's teacher members trust Ofsted to be a sound and reliable arbiter of standards. 

A motion was passed calling for Ofsted to be abolished and replaced by a locally overseen system based on self-evaluation, support and collaboration between schools.