2.8% won’t do! Stand up for Funding and Pay! Get Ready to Ballot!
In December, the government announced a meager 2.8% pay offer for teachers in England next year—completely unfunded.
This paltry increase falls far behind RPI inflation and expected average earnings growth. It’s a step backward, undermining the crucial pay corrections needed to tackle the recruitment and retention crisis.
Even worse, this rise is unfunded. Education funding has plummeted from 5.5% of GDP in 2010 to just 4.1% now. With 91% of primary schools facing cuts due to this unfunded pay rise, there are no “efficiencies” left to find. Both children and staff deserve properly funded schools.
The National Foundation for Educational Research states that a 10% pay rise each year for two years is essential. The government needs this increase to meet its recruitment target of 6,500 teachers. A 2.8% increase is woefully inadequate—schools will stay understaffed without a better offer.
But there’s hope. Ballots and strike action have previously secured better pay awards under the Tories. If the new government won’t fund schools, we can change their minds too. A national indicative ballot is coming soon. Here’s how you can help:
Click the banner above to see when we will be putting on briefings. You can also help by;
- Check and update your membership details by logging into
My NEU - Share the joint union letter to Bridget Philipson with other
members - Submit evidence to the School Teachers Review Body here