By Gavin Mackintosh-
The National Education Union (NEU) on Monday has asked its members in England reject a government pay offer of a one-off payment this year of 1,000 pounds ($1,227) and an average pay rise of 4.5% in the next financial year.
Teachers have been involved in strike action this year that has left classrooms empty for several days and heaped pressure on Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to resolve the dispute
The British government has offered teachers in England a pay rise in 5% in September
Four unions have been in intensive talks with the education secretary since 17 March about teachers’ pay, conditions and workload.
Thousands of schools were disrupted by the latest walkout by teacher members of the National Education Union (NEU).
Paul Whiteman, the general secretary of the NAHT, did not share details of the offer and said the union would consider it on Monday evening before deciding next steps.
He said the NAHT would not comment further until Tuesday.
The NAHT, NEU, ASCL and NASUWT unions have been calling for above-inflation pay rises, funded by extra money from the government rather than coming from schools’ existing budgets.
Before talks began, the Department for Education had said it hoped they would reach “a successful conclusion”.
Department for Education data says more than 50% of schools in England were fully closed or restricting attendance during strike days on 15 and 16 March
Teacher salaries fell by an average of 11% between 2010 and 2022, after taking inflation into account, the Institute for Fiscal Studies says.
The government had offered most teachers a 3% rise for the next school year, 2023-24 – which the NEU has previously said was not enough.
Education Secretary Gillian Keegan says the government has committed an extra £2bn in England, taking “real-terms spending on schools to its highest level in history”.
The dispute over teachers’ pay has been resolved in Scotland and Wales.
Teachers in Scotland have accepted a 7% rise for 2022/23, which will be backdated to April. They have also accepted a 5% rise in April 2023, and a 2% one in January 2024.
Teachers from the NEU in Wales have agreed on an increased pay offer of 8% for 2022/23, which consists of a 6.5% rise and a one-off lump sum payment, as well as a 5% increase for 2023/24..
The union says funding arrangements remained a major concern for school leaders, and are calling for talks to resume.
In Northern Ireland, five unions are continuing to take action short of a strike.