Three separate preliminary ballots – from school teachers, support staff and sixth form college National Education Union (NEU) members – on pay have now closed. All results demonstrate the desire for a fully funded, above-inflation pay rise.
98 per cent of teacher members agreed they should receive a fully funded, above-inflation pay rise. 86 per cent agreed they are willing to take strike action on this issue. Separate preliminary ballots of support and sixth form college staff strongly supported taking action too.
Ignored by the Government
The NEU wrote to Government calling on them to prevent a formal trade dispute, but has received no answer.
A timetable for a formal ballot and potential dates of strike action will be announced in the coming week. Meanwhile, the Government has time still to respond to staff concerns and fund schools so that all receive fully funded pay rises.
Shreeve: Pay needs a boost to allow members to make ends meet
Commenting on events, Peter Shreeve, Assistant District Secretary of the National Education Union, said,
“The ballot results show education staff are keen for change. Pay has been eroded considerably in recent years. With the growing cost-of-living crisis, pay needs a boost to allow members to make ends meet.
“The impact of government refusing to fully fund an above-inflation pay rise will be widespread.
- Smaller Island rural schools and those with greater SEND numbers are less able to absorb additional costs, which will lead to cuts.
- Schools already struggle to keep and attract classroom support staff and to entice new teachers to the Island. Both are a disaster for children’s education.
- A teacher recruitment and retention crisis has raged in the education sector for years. Conservative governments routinely miss theirs targets for trainees – by its own measure 40 per cent of teachers leave within ten years of qualifying. Teachers have seen a real-terms cut in salaries of 20 per cent since 2010.
“That is why we must act on the instructions of our membership and proceed to a formal ballot for action. Staff don’t want to strike – they want to be in the classroom, doing what they do best, educating the Island’s children.
“Government will point to current economic challenges, but the fact is that whilst in power – since 2010 – the situation has worsened considerably.
“It is regrettable that we have reached this point, but enough is enough. Government needs a serious answer to more than a decade of declining pay. It is time not only to value education but to value educators, whatever their role.”
News shared by Peter on behalf of NEU Isle of Wight. Ed
