School teachers and leaders have been urged to “stand together” and vote for strike action after yesterday’s “disastrous teacher recruitment figures”.
The general secretaries of the NAHT school leaders’ union and the NEU and NASUWT teaching unions have written a joint letter, with TUC backing, to members urging them to return votes in current industrial action ballots.
All three unions are balloting members over strike action, with voting set to close in January.
The union leaders, Paul Whiteman, Kevin Courtney, Mary Bousted and Patrick Roach, said the letter was sparked following the “disastrous teacher recruitment figures” published by the Department for Education yesterday.
The DfE data showed it had failed to meet its own targets for teacher trainee recruitment by 41 per cent at secondary and 7 per cent at primary.
“At this critical moment, now is the time to stand together and send a clear and unequivocal message that the teaching profession demands better,” they write.
“Please complete your union’s ballot paper and get your ballot paper in the post box today to strengthen our demand for a better deal for teachers and school leaders.”
The letter also detailed that the unions are “united on the need to protect” school leader and teacher pay “against current inflation and to restore its real terms value, and for those pay rises to be fully funded by government”.
It said that unions are “continuing to press governments and employers for an improved pay award, highlighting the damage that falling real pay risks to children’s and young people’s education”.
Earlier this year, the DfE accepted the recommendations from the School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB) for experienced teacher pay to rise by 5 per cent and teacher starting salaries outside London to rise by 8.9 per cent in September 2022.
However, union leaders criticised the “unfunded” rise, warning it will put schools in deficit.
Yesterday, sixth-form teaching staff who are members of the NEU were on strike across the country with the aim of achieving a fully funded above-inflation pay rise.
Headteacher members of the Association of School and College Leaders are also being asked to vote in a consultative ballot on whether they want the union “to stage a formal ballot on action short of a strike or strike action”.
Last month, Paul Whiteman, general secretary of NAHT, said he wanted to reassure heads that he “cannot envisage circumstances where we instigate action that will call on you to close your school”.
Mr Whiteman said he acknowledged members’ “worry” in voting “yes” to strike action, but sought to reassure school leaders that they are “in safe hands”.
The union is carrying out its first ballot on action over pay in its 125-year history.
NEU joint general secretary Kevin Courtney said: “We are very pleased to work with the other unions and the TUC to get our message across to government on the urgent issue of fully funded pay rises.
“The teacher recruitment figures from yesterday show just how essential it is that we persuade government to listen.
“Members of NEU, NASUWT and NAHT should all cast a ‘Yes’ vote in their union’s ballots to ensure we give the strongest message to government that enough is enough.”
