Teachers in England plan to hold two additional strike days in July, according to the National Education Union (NEU), as part of an ongoing pay and funding disagreement with the government.
The NEU, the largest education union in Britain, announced the new dates following at least six previous days of strikes by teachers in England between February and May. In April, teachers rejected a government proposal for a 4.5% average pay increase along with a one-off payment of £1,000. The union is now conducting another ballot to consider further strikes in the coming Autumn.
While teacher disputes in Wales and Scotland have been resolved, the NEU criticized Education Minister Gillian Keegan for not taking sufficient action to prevent additional strikes in England. The union expressed frustration, stating that their appeals for fully-funded teacher pay raises have consistently been disregarded by the Education Secretary.
In response, Britain’s education ministry expressed concerns that the strikes would adversely impact students and cause further disruptions for parents. Over the past year, workers in various sectors, including healthcare, transportation, and the civil service, have resorted to strikes across the country due to pay disputes, with inflation reaching its highest levels in four decades.
