Teachers Threaten Strikes Over Pay and Workload as Education Secretary Fails to Act
NEU Confirms Seven Days of Strike Action
The National Education Union (NEU) has announced seven days of strikes across England and Wales, kicking off on February 1st. The walkouts will coincide with strikes by university staff, train drivers, and 100,000 civil servants, hitting public services hard.
The NEU warns over 23,000 schools could be affected, sending shockwaves through the education sector.
Union Blasts Gillian Keegan for Missing the Chance to Avoid Strike
After last-ditch talks with Education Secretary Gillian Keegan on Monday, NEU joint general secretaries Mary Bousted and Kevin Courtney slammed the government for ignoring the crisis.
“Gillian Keegan has squandered an opportunity to avoid strike action,” they said. “The government has been unwilling to address the root causes of strike action.”
Pay Cuts and Workload Crisis Fuel Teacher Fury
Real-terms pay cuts and the erosion of pay fairness are pushing schools into a recruitment and retention nightmare. Teachers face an “excessive workload” unlike any other country, says Kevin Courtney.
“Teachers work similar hours in the classroom as those abroad, but their workload outside the classroom is far heavier,” he explained outside the Department for Education.
Courtney added that teachers are burdened with bureaucratic tasks, not lesson planning. “It’s not about teaching better lessons or engaging children, but about a system that simply doesn’t trust them.”
