Teachers could go on strike for a week at a time next year with mood 'hardening'
Teachers could walk out on week-long strikes from the autumn if a 6.5% pay demand is rejected, reports claim.
Education unions are said to believe members will back “serious and sustained” industrial action in the next academic year if the pay rise is not implemented.
This could mean week-long walkouts from classrooms, the Sunday Times reports. So far, strikes have been limited to just 48 hours.
Sources have also told the paper that the mood among teachers is “hardening”.
The 6.5% rise was proposed by the independent School Teachers’ Review Body last month.
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Striking teachers at a rally in Trafalgar Square in March (PA)It is more than 2% higher than the government’s most recent 4.3% offer,
which was rejected by all four teaching unions.
The National Education Union, with more than 450,000 members, has urged education secretary Gillian Keegan to publish the review body’s report and implement the rise.
NEU joint general secretary Mary Bousted added teachers would react with “fury” unless the recommendation was implemented.
But the Department for Education warned the Sunday Times that action would cause “real damage” to pupils.
A spokesman said: “Further strike action would cause real damage to pupils and even more disruption for parents right across the country.”
Meanwhile junior doctors have warned strikes could continue until March next year.
BMA’s Junior Doctor Committee Chair Dr Rob Laurenson told Sky’s Sophy Ridge on Sunday that they are re-balloting members for an extended six month mandate for industrial action.
He added: “Our members have given us a clear instruction; they would like us to pursue full pay restoration back to 2008 and that’s what we intend to do in our representation of our doctors and our healthcare system.”
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