NEU teacher strikes to go ahead after last-ditch talks fail

Teachers' strikes successful England and Wales are to spell ahead, aft talks betwixt the authorities and unions ended without resolution.

The National Education Union (NEU) said the acquisition caput had "squandered an opportunity" to debar Wednesday's onslaught action.

It expects astir 23,000 schools to beryllium affected successful the archetypal of its 7 planned walkouts.

Strikes successful Scotland continued connected Monday, arsenic portion of a 16-day programme.

NEU associated wide secretaries Dr Mary Bousted and Kevin Courtney said the authorities had been "unwilling to earnestly prosecute with the causes of onslaught action".

They are demanding a "fully funded, above-inflation wage emergence for teachers".

National Association of Head Teachers wide caput Paul Whiteman said the gathering had been "unproductive" arsenic the caput of authorities "was incapable to marque immoderate connection connected the eve of concern action".

Further talks were expected, helium added.

Earlier this week, Gillian Keegan said she was optimistic that the 2 sides could find "common ground".

Writing successful the Sunday Telegraph, she said she was "disappointed" that Wednesday's walkout was going ahead, but she hoped to proceed "constructive discussions" connected issues including pay.

She reiterated a telephone for teachers to pass schoolhouse heads if they intended to strike, successful bid to debar "unnecessary disruption", and to guarantee information for children.

But she acknowledged that teachers had nary work to bash so. The NEU has advised its members to disregard the request.

The authorities is keen that schools stay unfastened during Wednesday's walkout - though this volition yet beryllium decided by each headteacher.

More than 100,000 teachers are expected to strike, with concern enactment expected connected the aforesaid time from bid drivers, assemblage staff, and civilian servants.

Speaking to the Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme, Labour's shadiness acquisition caput refused to accidental whether teachers should spell connected strike.

Bridget Phillipson criticised ministers for failing to beryllium "serious" successful negotiating, citing the "disruption" the strikes would origin truthful soon aft pupils' acquisition was deed by the pandemic.

Although Wednesday's enactment is constricted to England and Wales, walkouts are planned crossed the full UK by the NEU and different unions.

Teacher salaries successful England fell by an mean of 11% successful existent presumption betwixt 2010 and 2022, aft taking rising prices into account, says the Institute for Fiscal Studies.

Most state-school teachers successful England and Wales received a 5% wage emergence successful 2022.

In Northern Ireland, galore teachers were offered 3.2% for 2021/22 and 2022/23. In Scotland, teachers person rejected some a 5% summation and a much caller connection of up to 6.85%.

Ms Keegan says the authorities has provided an other £2bn successful schoolhouse funding, insisting that this meets national demands.

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