News

DfE’s teacher pay submission undermines strike talks

The DfE’s offer of formal pay talks on the condition that next week’s strikes be called off has not landed well in a week when it published plans for yet another below-inflation pay rise from September. Pete Henshaw reports
Image: Adobe Stock

The National Education Union (NEU) is seeking clarity from Department for Education after its offer to move into more intensive “formal talks” to avoid next week’s planned strike action.

Education secretary Gillian Keegan wrote to education unions this week inviting them to attend “formal talks on pay, conditions and reform”.

A condition of launching these more intensive negotiations is that the NEU must call off its action planned for February 28, March 1 and 2.

However, the NEU says it is unclear whether this year’s pay rise will be on the table for negotiation and is seeking clarification.

The NEU executive committee is due to meet on Saturday when a decision to call off strike action could be made.

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