NASUWT teachers’ union General Secretary, Patrick Roach, said his union was “ready to do whatever is necessary” to ensure a fair pay deal, potentially including strikes.
His comments come with the other major classroom teachers’ union, the NEU, about to announce the results of an indicative ballot for industrial action over pay which closed today.
Now, ministers are also facing the threat of industrial action from the NASUWT if the Government fails to offer a better pay deal.
“We wouldn’t rule out strikes,” he added.
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Asked about the possibility of joint strikes, Roach said: “If, indeed, there is a coalescence of concerns across unions, whether that’s the NEU, the NAHT [the largest head teachers’ union], or anybody else for that matter, then I’m sure conversations would take place.”
Fears of narrowed curriculum and fewer teachers
Roach said a 2.8 per cent pay rise, without extra Government money to pay for it, would mean a deepening of schools’ funding crisis.
“We are seeing an outbreak of restructures and redundancies taking place in schools at the present time, as schools anticipate what is going to be a very tight financial context for them.
Both the NEU and NASUWT are meeting for their annual conferences next week.
NASUWT’s agenda also calls for industrial action where TPS schemes are under threat.
Teacher pay problems ‘far from resolved’
“NEU members have been voting in an indicative ballot as to whether they accept or reject the government’s recommendation of an unfunded 2.8 per cent pay rise. They have also been asked if they are willing to take strike action to secure a fully funded, higher pay award that takes steps to address the crisis in recruitment and retention.
Last September, teachers received a 5.5 per cent pay rise in England funded by an additional £1.2 billion from the Government, with Chancellor Rachel Reeves accepting the STRB’s recommendation.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has warned the STRB of the “challenging financial position this government has inherited” when discussing teachers’ pay for 2025.
The Government has been contacted for comment.
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