Teachers across England have overwhelmingly voted to reject the Government’s proposed 2.8% pay increase, according to the National Education Union (NEU), in a move that sets the stage for potential industrial action later this year.
The NEU, which represents the majority of teaching staff in England, revealed that 93.7% of members who participated in the preliminary ballot voted against the offer. Moreover, 83.4% said they were prepared to strike in pursuit of a better, fully funded pay settlement that addresses the ongoing recruitment and retention crisis gripping the education sector.
Daniel Kebede, General Secretary of the NEU, condemned the Government’s proposal as inadequate, pointing out that years of below-inflation pay rises and soaring workloads have pushed schools to breaking point. “Our members know that there needs to be a major pay correction,” he said. “Teacher pay must be significantly improved against inflation and brought in line with earnings in other professions. Otherwise, we will continue to see vacancies go unfilled and graduates turning away from teaching.”
He added that the suggested pay award not only falls below inflation but is also unfunded, placing additional pressure on school budgets. “To add insult to injury, the Government claims the cost can be covered by ‘efficiencies’. Our members tell us daily how stretched their schools already are. This will simply make things worse.”
Mr Kebede urged ministers to reconsider: “We call on the Government to do the right thing and fund fair pay and invest in our schools. Without urgent action, the damage to education will be long-lasting.”
In response to the vote, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson described the prospect of industrial action as “indefensible”, citing efforts to improve school attendance and stability post-pandemic. “With school staff, parents and young people working so hard to turn the tide on school attendance, any move towards strike action by teaching unions would be indefensible,” she said.
Ms Phillipson also referenced the previous 5.5% pay award delivered under “hugely challenging” financial conditions, and called on the NEU to “put children first”.
The NEU’s preliminary electronic ballot was conducted between 1 March and 11 April and targeted teacher members currently working in state-funded schools across England. The turnout stood at 134,487 – or 47.2% of eligible members – which, although under the 50% legal threshold required for a formal strike ballot, was a significant indicator of widespread discontent within the profession.
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The union is expected to table an emergency motion on teacher pay at its upcoming annual conference. Should members approve the motion, it would pave the way for a formal postal ballot for strike action later in the year.
The Government has so far defended its position, insisting that schools are being supported through existing funding streams. However, teaching unions have long warned that core funding has not kept pace with increasing demands and inflationary pressures, leaving many schools unable to meet even basic operational needs, let alone implement pay increases from existing budgets.
The standoff over pay comes at a time of acute strain for the education sector, with many schools struggling to fill teaching posts, especially in core subjects such as mathematics and science. Workload, underfunding, and what some have called the ‘erosion of respect’ for the profession have all been cited as key factors driving teachers away.
With mounting pressure on both sides, all eyes will now turn to the NEU’s conference and whether it will set in motion a fresh wave of strikes that could disrupt schools across the country in the coming months.
