School strikes have been averted for one teaching union after it failed to meet the legal threshold for turnout.
An NASUWT members’ strike will not go ahead despite 90 per cent voting for strike action in a ballot, owing to a 42 per cent turnout of members in England and Wales.
Ninety-five per cent of members voting also supported action short of strike action.
In order for strike action to be legal, at least 50 per cent of eligible members must vote in a strike ballot, with 40 per cent of all eligible members approving the action.
NASUWT general secretary Dr Patrick Roach said: “It is clear that our members are sending a strong message to the government on the need to address teachers’ pay concerns.
“While the government’s anti-trade union legislation prevents members in state-funded schools and colleges from taking industrial action, we remain in formal disputes with ministers and employers and will be continuing to take forward our campaigning for a better deal for teachers.
“The readiness of our members to support industrial action demonstrates the anger of the profession and the need for governments in England and Wales to engage in meaningful negotiations to address the deep concerns of our members.
“Our campaign to fight for the real-terms pay awards that teachers and headteachers deserve continues.”
More teacher strike ballots
The union had balloted members over strike action and industrial action short of strike action, recommending that members vote in favour of both elements.
Ballots held by the NEU teaching union and the NAHT school leaders’ union are also closing this week, with results expected on Monday.
The NASUWT ballot opened in England and Wales on 27 October and closed on 9 January.
The NASUWT launched the ballot after it said ministers had failed to engage in negotiations with it over teacher pay, despite repeated calls to do so.
And last week almost seven in 10 members of a major headteachers’ union - the Association of School and College Leaders - voted to move to a formal ballot on strike action. ASCL general secretary Geoff Barton said that the results showed the ”strength of feeling” among members.
The government will continue talks with teachers’ unions to avert “damaging” industrial action, Downing Street has said.
A No 10 spokesperson said: “The education secretary held a meeting earlier this week, a constructive meeting with union leaders, and I believe that she held a similar meeting today.
“She agreed on the importance of working together to avoid strike action that would be damaging to children. We know the disruption that children have already faced in terms of their education due to the pandemic, so we obviously don’t want to see any further disruption.
“We continue to want to try and help and facilitate teachers and the unions to receive a fair and affordable pay deal. But as I say, the most important thing is that we continue to talk.”
A Department for Education spokesperson said: “After two years of disrupted education for children and young people, families will be relieved that these teachers did not choose to strike.
“The education secretary has arranged further meetings with union leaders to avoid harmful strike action.
“We have already met the unions’ request for a further £2 billion for schools both next year and the year after in the Autumn Statement, and awarded teachers with the highest pay award in 30 years.”
In November teachers in Scotland walked out in their first national pay strike in almost 40 years, after thousands of members of the EIS teaching union took to picket lines.
In Scotland unions are campaigning for a 10 per cent pay offer, double the recent pay offer of 5 per cent for the majority of teachers.
Walkouts also took place in Scotland on Tuesday and Wednesday this week after no new pay offer was received in time to avert the action.
The Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association and NASUWT Scotland members went on strike for two days earlier this month.
