England’s largest teaching union has written to the education secretary to warn that it will be balloting its members over strike action at the end of next week if “urgent action” is not taken over the unfunded teacher and school staff pay rises. 

The NEU teaching union has written to Kit Malthouse today to warn that if he does not “undertake to make immediately available” the funds to allow schools “to increase the pay of [school] staff, at a rate greater than the rate of inflation”, then the union will be “in a trade dispute” with the secretary of state. 

Joint general secretary Kevin Courtney said the issue is “in the government’s hands, and we hope for a swift resolution”.

Last month, the union opened a preliminary ballot over strike action and this is ongoing. 

The NEU has also sent a second letter to Mr Malthouse today making the same demands for its support staff members. 

Trade dispute ‘cannot be settled’ without action from Malthouse

The NEU said in its letter to the secretary of state that “for the avoidance of doubt”, the dispute “includes teacher members who work in academies as well as in maintained schools but does not include members in sixth-form colleges”.

Joint general secretaries Dr Mary Bousted and Kevin Courtney said that the “trade dispute...cannot be settled” without government intervention to increase school budgets, as “state-funded schools cannot otherwise pay” the award without making cuts.

The letter says this could, for example, be through “reducing the number of staff they employ, dropping subjects taught, intensifying work, or taking other steps detrimental to our members”.

Adding: “We urge you again to act urgently to avoid the possibility of a dispute that nobody wants but which is increasingly likely should the government not act on the pay and living standards of our members.”

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Dr Bousted and Mr Courtney said they were “ready to negotiate” with Mr Malthouse and his officials “at any reasonable time to resolve this dispute”. 

Mr Courtney said if the union did not receive an undertaking from Mr Malthouse and his team by midday next Friday (14 October), then the NEU would be “looking at dates” to ballot members. 

He added: “No one wants to take strike action, but education staff can no longer take year after year of below inflation pay increases, which have had a major impact on the value of their pay since 2010.” 

“Government continually fails to meet its recruitment figures for teachers as the profession has now become so unattractive to graduates, while support staff are asked to take on more and more work for pay that does not enable them to make ends meet.”

Action looms across the sector

The NAHT school leaders’ union also recently launched a consultation with members over their views on pay and funding, while the NASUWT teaching union has said it is “committed” to balloting its members on industrial action in the autumn term if an improved pay deal is not offered.

And last week, the Association of School and College Leaders released the results of its survey of school leaders, which asked whether the union should run an indicative ballot for action short of strike action and an indicative ballot on strike action, with half of the school leaders surveyed saying the union should run an indicative ballot on strike action.

Half of the respondents said the union should not take this step. 

A Department for Education spokesperson said the government had confirmed ”the highest pay awards for teachers in a generation”.

“We recognise that schools - much like wider society - are facing cost pressures, so we’re increasing core school funding by £4bn this year compared to 2021-22, helping schools meet those increased costs.

“It is incredibly disappointing that some unions are threatening industrial action in schools. Strike action will damage children’s education and disrupt parents’ lives. Given the impact of the pandemic on children, it’s more important than ever that strike action is avoided.”