Teachers to strike in England and Wales

As reported by the BBC, teachers will strike over pay in England and Wales on seven dates in February and March, the National Education Union has announced

National strikes are scheduled for 1 February, 15 and 16 March, and there are several regional dates too.

Action will take place on the following days:

• 1 February: All schools in England and Wales.
• 14 February: All schools in Wales.
• 28 February: North and north-west England, Yorkshire and Humber.
• 1 March: East Midlands, West Midlands, and the NEU’s eastern region.
• 2 March: South-east and south-west England, and London.
• 15 and 16 March: Two-day strike of all schools in England and Wales.

The NEU says any individual school will only be affected on a maximum of four out of the seven dates.

Support staff in England and Wales also voted in favour of striking but in England they failed to meet the legal threshold so will not be taking part.

Most state school teachers in England and Wales had a five per cent rise in 2022, but the NEU says this rise actually equates to a pay cut, because of high inflation rates.

NEU joint general secretary Kevin Courtney says of the teachers who were balloted, 90% in England and 92% in Wales supported strike action.

“We really don’t want to have any strikes, we want the government to listen and sit down and talk,” he said.

He says members are particularly concerned by the number of teachers leaving the profession.