Schools in England facing fresh strikes as teachers reject government’s latest pay offer

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The National Education Union (NEU) told members to reject the offer which it described as “insulting”.

Schools in England are facing fresh strike action after teachers and members of the National Education Union (NEU) rejected the government’s latest pay offer. The NEU is the largest teaching union in the United Kingdom.

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Of those members who responded to latest offer, 98 per cent voted to reject it. The NEU had urged members to reject the offer and intends to proceed with two new days of strike action on April 27 and May 2. More than 195,000 members voted in the six-day ballot over the pay offer, which is a 66% turnout. Over 191,000 members rejected the offer.

The offer from the government was a £1,000 one-off payment for the current school year (2022/23) and a 4.3 percent rise next year. Starting salaries would also increase to £30,000 starting from next September.

Education Secretary, Gillian Keegan, said last week that teachers could miss out on the £1,000 one-off payment if they voted to reject the deal.

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Speaking at NEU’s conference in Harrogate in Yorkshire, joint general secreataties Mary Bousted and Kevin Courtney called on the government to reopen negotiations.

“This resounding rejection of the government’s offer should leave Gillian Keegan in no doubt that she will need to come back to the negotiating table with a much better proposal. The offer shows an astounding lack of judgment and understanding of the desperate situation in the education system.

“We have today written to the Education Secretary informing her of the next two days of strike action on April 27 and May 2 that NEU teacher members in England will now be taking. These strikes are more than three weeks away; Gillian Keegan can avoid them.”

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