Teachers vote to end strikes and accept 6.5% pay rise

A pay rise of 6.5% has been accepted by a major teaching union.

Members of the National Education Union (NEU) voted to accept the deal, which was made based on recommendations by the independent School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB).

The NEU had advised its members to accept the deal, which also includes an extra £900m in funding for schools per year.

Earlier this month, NEU members held industrial action – forcing many schools to close entirely or reduce the number of classes held.

“Members have spoken very clearly and in great numbers,” Dr Mary Bousted and Kevin Courtney, joint general secretaries of the NEU, said.

The union said an electronic ballot of its teacher members saw 86% vote to accept the offer and end industrial action, with turnout of 60%.

A ballot of the union’s support staff members in England also saw 85% accept the pay offer, with a turnout of 46%.

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Members of the NEU staged eight days of strike action in state schools in England since February in a dispute over pay.

The NEU is one of the largest education unions in Europe and represents more than 450,000 teachers, lecturers, education support staff and leaders.

Members of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) in England have already voted to accept the pay rise from September.

Meanwhile, the NASUWT teachers’ union and the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) are expected to announce their members’ responses to the pay offer on Monday.

The Government has said the 6.5% pay award for teachers will be “fully funded”, with £525m of additional funding for schools in 2023-24 and a further £900m in 2024-25.

A re-ballot of NEU teacher members in England on strike action, which opened in May before the pay offer was made, saw 95% vote to renewing the union’s strike mandate for a further six months, with a turnout of 53%.

But the NEU has said the electronic ballot result on the Government’s 6.5% pay offer for 2023-24 means that further strike action over pay will now not go ahead in the autumn term.

Dr Bousted and Mr Courtney said: “As a democratic union, the NEU leadership promised members that any pay and funding offer given by Government that warranted their consideration would be put to them.

“The NEU submissions to the STRB went a long way towards changing the Government’s position on pay and funding. The strike action taken by our members also shifted the dial, securing the highest pay award for over thirty years. Members should be proud they have also secured extra funding for schools.”

They added: “The Government should be in no doubt that we will hold its feet to the fire on delivering for teachers and support staff on workload and funding and continue to represent the profession in future STRB consultations.

“It remains the view of the NEU that school and college funding is far from adequate. It remains a commitment of the NEU to campaign for further increases in teacher pay.

“Everyone in the school and colleges community deserves an education system that attracts and keeps teaching staff, and one that ensures every child gets the attention and support they deserve. Our campaign for a better-funded education system will not go away.”

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