Teachers' strikes: Will there be more?

Members of the National Education Union (NEU) have voted to hold a formal strike ballot if they reject this summer's pay offer.

Teacher strikes took place across the UK last year over pay, including eight days of walkouts by NEU members in England.

The four teaching unions in the dispute with the government in England accepted an offer last July, but are continuing to campaign for pay rises in the next school year.

No more full strikes are planned at this stage, although the threat of future action has not been ruled out.

Members of the NEU had debated whether - and when - to hold a formal strike ballot over pay for 2024-25 at their annual conference in Bournemouth. Such a ballot could lead to more school strikes from September.

The Department for Education (DfE) has called the threat of another strikes ballot "extremely disappointing".

Last July, the NEU, the largest teaching union, as well as the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), and NASUWT accepted the government's 6.5% pay rise for 2023-24.

NASUWT members decided overwhelmingly against having a new formal ballot on more industrial action over pay and working conditions this year.

ASCL halted its strike ballot after accepting the government's pay offer last summer, and has held no further ballots or had any sort of industrial action since then.

The NAHT has also not held another ballot.

England

In March, the NAHT, ASCL, Community, NASUWT and NEU teaching unions jointly called for a "fully funded, inflation-plus" pay rise for 2024-25.

They also called for "significant improvements" on workload, saying that was also needed to address problems recruiting and retaining teachers.

Each year, the independent School Teachers' Review Body (STRB) hears submissions from each side and makes recommendations on teacher pay to the government, who ultimately decide on how much to award.

In its own evidence submitted to the STRB in February, the DfE said teacher pay should "return to a more sustainable level" after "two unprecedented years".

But the unions called for the STRB to recommend "urgent significant additional investment" in schools.

Wales

Long-running action ended on 17 November after NAHT members accepted a new workload agreement along with an improved pay offer and additional funding.

Members had been restricting their hours since February 2023 in a dispute with Wales's 22 local councils.

Scotland

Last year's dispute ended in Scotland when unions accepted a 7% rise for 2022-23, backdated to April. They also accepted a 5% rise in April 2023, and a 2% rise in January 2024.

The Education Institute of Scotland (EIS) has since submitted a claim for a pay rise of 6.5% to the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers, which represents schools, councils and the Scottish government.

Northern Ireland

In March, all five of Northern Ireland's recognised teachers' unions - the Ulster Teachers' Union, the Irish National Teachers' Organisation, the NAHT, NEU and NASUWT - accepted pay offers for 2021-22, 2022-23, and 2023-24.

The pay offer will see starting salaries rise to £30,000 and represents a cumulative total rise of 10.4%, plus a £1,000 increase to other teachers and leadership pay scales.

A meeting of the Teachers' Negotiating Committee to ratify the deal is expected to see an end to the campaign of industrial action which has been ongoing since 2022.

Although none are currently planned, schools in England should open where possible in the event of a teachers' strike, the government says.

Teachers do not have to declare in advance if they intend to strike, and there are no rules about when parents must be told about school closures.

Head teachers take a decision on whether to shut schools. Some parents may only be told about a closure on the morning of industrial action, once staff numbers are known.

Under new minimum service level proposals due to come into force by September, unions will have to ensure schools in England stay open on strike days - but the unions have called the new rules "undemocratic".

In England, you can ask for leave to care for "family and dependants", including emergency childcare.

Your employer must not refuse a reasonable request, but you may not be paid. Alternatively you may be able to take holiday or unpaid parental leave.

Schools are asked to prioritise vulnerable pupils and key workers' children during strikes. They are also asked to try to prevent, or reduce, any disruption to exams and other formal assessments.

The NEU issued guidance to support arrangements for head teachers to "provide the minimum level of teaching staff needed" on strike days so students who had exams coming up could attend school.

Schools must also support children eligible for benefits-related free school meals if they close.

Classroom teachers were paid an average of £38,982 in the 2021-22 school year in England, £39,009 in Wales and £40,026 in Scotland. Northern Ireland did not provide a figure.

The average head teacher salary in England for the same period was £74,095, and £57,117 for other senior leaders.

Experts advise ministers about teacher pay, based on factors such as vacancy rates and subject shortages.

As with all public spending, money allocated in England is awarded proportionately to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Employers also contribute 23.68% to teacher pensions. Nurses, by comparison, receive 14.38%.