6.5% PAY INCREASE COULD BE A BREAKTHROUGH
The NEU has heard reports that the School Teacher Review Body (STRB) is recommending a 6.5% pay rise for teachers from September 2023. We do not know if this is true, only Gillian Keegan knows that. The NEU has called on the Secretary of State to publish the STRB report with a statement about whether she accepts the recommendations. If the reports are true, it represents a challenge to Gillian Keegan, who wanted teachers to get much less than that. A 6.5% increase would be a step in the right direction. This is down to our joint campaign with other education unions, and your determined six days of strike action. However, it makes our re-ballot even more important to win for three reasons: 1. This 6.5% is not guaranteed, as the government can ignore the STRB and go lower. They have done this before. 2. This is still a pay cut leaving us behind pay in Wales and Scotland and we want to push this higher. 3. The crucial question of funding for this is not answered. The only way we can push for this is by winning the re-ballot. We need everyone to vote! Your ballot paper should have arrived in the post.
Kevin and Mary Say
“Teachers and School Leaders overwhelmingly rejected Gillian Keegan’s last offer – both because it was too low and because it wasn’t fully funded.
Since that rejection she has sought to hide behind the School Teachers’ Review Body saying that she is leaving it to them to make the decision on teacher pay.
She now has the report and can no longer hide behind the STRB
Gillian Keegan must now break cover from Sanctuary Buildings.
She must publish the STRB report.
She must invite the teacher and leader unions into the DfE and be absolutely clear about whether, and when she intends, or not, to implement the STRB’s recommendations in full, or as we would argue to go beyond them.
She must make it clear if she intends to fully fund it.
She must also commit to meaningful discussions on this year’s pay and on reducing excessive teacher workload and to reforming the accountability system for schools.
Trust in the education secretary is at rock bottom.
No one wants to be taking strike action but the NEU mandate for action continues into the rest of the summer term and we will call further action if the Secretary of State doesn’t reach a settlement with us.”
Our re ballot for industrial action in the Autumn term alongside ASCL, NAHT and NASUWT is underway. We will continue to urge members to vote yes in the ballot.
We will hold Gillian Keegan and the Government to account to ensure they invest in this generation of children, their schools and colleges and the people who work in them.”