Ballot update

Sixth form ballot closes 11 November

AROUND 300,000 teachers and support staff across England and Wales are being formally balloted for strike action over pay, after voting overwhelmingly in favour in the union’s preliminary ballots.

Angry and demoralised teachers sent a clear message to Government that they are prepared to strike – 86 per cent voted Yes in the ballot that took place between 24 September and 14 October. Seventy-eight per cent of support staff would vote Yes to strike action (see below).

As Educate went to press, the union had written to employers notifying them of a formal ballot between 28 October and 13 January. Strike action is likely to begin the week of 30 January.

NEU joint general secretaries Mary Bousted and Kevin Courtney said: “The Government’s refusal to fully fund the meagre pay rise for 2022/23 is the final insult. We repeat our willingness to meet with Government to find a serious answer to more than a decade of declining pay.”

The union does not ask members to take action lightly, but we cannot stand by and see members suffer growing hardship. Teachers’ pay has fallen by 20 per cent since 2010, and this year’s offer of just five per cent, at a time of soaring inflation, is a real-terms pay cut of seven per cent.

Members are demanding a fully funded, above-inflation pay rise for teachers.

Pay up: teachers to be formally balloted

MEMBERS working in sixth-form colleges in England are being formally balloted for strike action ‘I can’t afford to do my job anymore’ over pay until 11 November. The cost-of-living crisis is pushing thousands The ballot opened on 18 October. It follows an indicative ballot in which 97 per cent of members said they would be prepared to strike after being offered a pay rise of just five per cent by the Sixth Form Colleges Association. of members into poverty. They are rationing energy at home, borrowing money from friends and family to pay the bills, taking second – even third – jobs, and relying on food banks to feed their families. Single parent Hannah, a teacher with 20 years’ experience, said: “I feel I can’t afford to do my job anymore. If we were paid in line with real-time inflation, we would not be losing so many amazing teachers and support The pay offer at a staff from the profession. We deserve better.” time of rocketing Commenting on the results of the inflation and a cost- preliminary ballot, Mary and Kevin said: of-living crisis falls way behind what “This is a clear statement from teachers that is acceptable. they cannot go on like this. Their pay has NEU joint general secretary Mary been eroded considerably in recent years, and Bousted said: “Teachers in sixth- with the growing cost-of-living crisis, our form colleges have suffered a real- members will face even greater challenges to terms pay cut of 20 per cent since make ends meet.” 2010 and, in the midst of a cost-of- The value of the £30,000 starting salary, living crisis, are not prepared to see promised at the start of the 2019 General their income fall further. Election and introduced this September, has already been wiped out by inflation. “The Government needs to address Poor pay – after workload the second what is now a serious problem for biggest reason for teachers leaving the the sector.” profession – is now driving thousands Mary added that sixth-form more out, worsening the recruitment and colleges play an important role in retention crisis. the education of young people, and “Members don’t want to strike – they failing to give a fully funded, above- want to be in the classroom, doing what they inflation pay rise would lead to a do best, educating the nation’s children,” said further drain of staff, diminishing Mary and Kevin. the education of young people. “It is regrettable that we have reached this point, but enough is enough.”

The National Education Union is undertaking a formal strike ballot to demand a fully funded, above-inflation pay rise for support staff. Teacher members and sister teaching unions are conducting one too.

Our preliminary electronic ballot confirmed the overwhelming strength of feeling about your inadequate pay offer.

And yet the Government still fails to act.

VOTE NOW VOTE YES

In our POSTAL ballot from To industrial action for a fully 31 October to 13 January. funded, above-inflation pay rise. neu.org.uk/support-staff-pay NEU2775/0922 NEU2775 P0163 M003 Support staff pay up ballot statutory poster.indd 1 18/10/2022 15:56

Support staff vote to reject pay offer and Yes to strike action

SEVENTY eight per cent of support staff voted Yes to strike action in the NEU’s consultative pay ballot on the Government’s offer.

In August, local government employers put forward a pay offer for support staff, which would mean a rise of between six and eight per cent for most NEU members. With inflation currently at 12 per cent, this offer means that since 2010 support staff pay has declined by a staggering 27 per cent.

The pay offer also does not provide any promises that it would be fully funded by employers or the Government, meaning schools will need to find money from already overstretched budgets to meet the increase.

In the consultative ballot, 92 per cent of NEU support staff rejected the pay offer and 78 per cent said they were willing to strike to see a better, fully funded, above-inflation pay rise.

The NEU has now moved forward with a formal postal ballot for industrial action opening on Friday 28 October and closing on Friday 13 January (2023).

NEU joint general secretaries Mary Bousted and Kevin Courtney said: “Be in no doubt that today’s ballot result is a warning shot from support staff that they will not and cannot tolerate further unfunded or belowinflation pay rises.

“Despite our best efforts, the Government is yet to put more money on the table. Strikes would of course be regrettable, but we need to make a stand in order that the Department for Education sees sense. Support staff deserve better.”