Teachers across England are set to be consulted on a proposed 2.8% pay rise and the possibility of strike action in response to the Government’s offer. Around 284,000 members of the National Education Union (NEU) working in maintained schools will be asked to vote on whether to accept or reject the recommendation, as well as indicate their willingness to take industrial action.
The NEU has described the pay rise as inadequate and unfunded, warning that it will only worsen the ongoing crisis in teacher recruitment and retention. The union argues that the proposed increase, which is set for the 2025/26 academic year, will likely fall below inflation and further erode teachers’ salaries in comparison to other graduate professions.
Concerns over unfunded pay offer
Union leaders have criticised the Government for failing to provide additional funding for the pay rise, instead requiring schools to cover the cost through “efficiencies” within their already stretched budgets. The NEU claims this will lead to further cuts, impacting school resources and ultimately harming students’ education.
Daniel Kebede, General Secretary of the NEU, condemned the proposal, stating:
“We all know that an unfunded 2.8% pay award is unacceptable. It will deepen the chronic recruitment and retention crisis in our schools and means more cuts for already struggling schools. Pay has fallen by around a fifth against inflation since 2010, pushing education into the worst crisis in decades. More schools are in deficit now than at any point since 2010, and class sizes are the largest on record.”
He further warned that if the Government refuses to reconsider, teachers may have no choice but to take industrial action:
“Our members do not want to strike, but ignoring the profession and backing educators into a corner means we will be left with no choice. The Government was elected in the hope it would value education, but a 2.8% pay award without funding does the opposite. Like the Conservatives before them, they are forcing schools to make more cuts. It is short-sighted, it is wrong, and teachers will not stand for it. There is time yet for (Chancellor) Rachel Reeves and her colleagues to think again and deliver for teachers, children, and our schools.”
Government defends pay offer
The Department for Education has defended the pay proposal, pointing out that teachers have received a total pay increase of over 17% in the last three years. A spokesperson for the department said:
“In three years, teachers have had a combined pay increase of over 17%. As schools and families continue doing everything they can to improve attendance, and after the millions of school days lost through both the pandemic and recent industrial action, this is very unwelcome news. For this Government and for the Education Secretary, it is always children who come first.”
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Despite this defence, teachers and union leaders argue that past increases have not been enough to reverse the long-term decline in real-terms pay since 2010. Many teachers have also expressed concerns over growing workloads, underfunded schools, and the increasing pressure of larger class sizes.
Ballot on industrial action
The NEU’s consultation is intended to gauge the mood among teachers ahead of a potential formal strike ballot. If a majority of members vote against the offer and support industrial action, further strikes could take place in the coming months.
With the ballot set to close on 11th April, teachers and unions will be closely watching the Government’s next move. If ministers fail to address teachers’ concerns, the prospect of further disruption to schools across England looms large.
The outcome of this consultation will not only determine whether teachers take to the picket lines but will also signal how much pressure the new Government is under to address long-standing issues in the education sector.
