Schools across the UK are set for more teacher strikes in the coming weeks, as members of the National Education Union have voted to reject the Government’s pay offer. Walkouts are planned for April 27 and May 2. With a turnout of 66 percent, 98 percent of members voted against the pay offer.
Teachers were offered a £1,000 one-off bonus this year and a 4.3 percent pay rise next year.
Education Secretary Gillian Keegan described the pay offer as “fair and reasonable”.
She said the Government has gone “as far as we can” with negotiations.
The strikes will take place just weeks before the start of GCSE and A Level exams.
Kevin Courney, joint general secretary of the NEU, said the union is putting Ms Keegan “on notice.”
He warned the Government that the union has support for future strikes.
The NEU executive has agreed to seek “local agreements” with head teachers in an attempt to protect exam preparation for Years 11 and 13 but it has refused to rule out disruption.
Mr Courtney urged parents to “put pressure on MPs” to get them to pressure Ms Keegan to intervene to give teachers a better deal.
He said: “We aren’t going away…our campaign isn’t going away.”
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