NAHT becomes third union to reject government pay offer

NAHT has become the third union to reject the government's teacher pay offer, after 90% vote against government deal, saying that  was unaffordable with current budgets.

Union members had rejected the offer of a £1,000 one-off payment this year and 4.3 per cent pay rise for most teachers and leaders next year.

Seventy-eight per cent of memvbers that responded said they would be prepared to vote for and take industrial action if the offer was rejected.

The NAHT's rejection of the offer follows that of the National Education Union and Association of School and College Leaders.

92 per cent of NAHT members said the offer was unaffordable, with not enough in their budgets to fund the rise next year.

Paul Whiteman, the union’s general secretary, said: “Our members do not recognise the government’s calculations on the affordability of the offer, with the vast majority of head teachers and school business leaders saying they could not pay the rise from their existing budgets.

“This is a very clear stumbling block and one the government must listen to and solve if we hope to bring this dispute to an end.

“The government must now come back to the table and solve this dispute. To do otherwise would be to stick two fingers up to a dedicated profession whilst at the same time turning their backs on children.

“The response from the members of all the education unions has been overwhelming – the government can be in no doubt of the strength of feeling of the education profession or their determination to stand up for themselves and for their pupils.

“We are calling on the government to match that ambition and invest seriously in the future of education in this country.”