'It shows huge strength' - response to further teacher strikes in York

As reported by The Press, it was announced yesterday (April 3) that schools in the city face more teacher strikes after members of the National Education Union (NEU) rejected the Government’s pay offer.

In total, 98 per cent of National Education Union (NEU) teacher members in England, who responded in a consultative ballot, voted to turn down the deal.

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Michael Kearney, district secretary for the NEU in York, said: "It is incredible and shows the huge strength of feeling amongst our members that over 66 per cent of our teachers voted in this ballot, with 98 per cent of them voting to reject the derisory offer from the Government.

"It cannot be right that teachers in Wales and Scotland will now be earning significantly more than teachers in England and shows that Gillian Keegan is not negotiating in good faith. Also, the offer put to us is not fully funded so will do nothing to reverse the last decade of austerity in our schools.

"In York, as has been highlighted recently, there are a growing number of schools having to make support staff and teachers redundant because of the funding crisis.

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"The last 12 months have been the busiest the NEU has seen in the city dealing with a relentless number of restructures and redundancies due to lack of funding.

"Children in York will be studying in the largest class sizes this country has seen in 40 years with more demands and less support than ever. Parents and education workers have to stand together now to demand better for our children."

Teachers striking at schools across York in February (Image: Catherine Jane)

After a period of intensive talks with unions, the Government offered teachers a £1,000 one-off payment for the current school year and an average 4.5 per cent pay rise for staff next year.

The NEU, which had urged its members to reject the “insulting” offer, plans to hold two further days of teacher strikes on April 27 and May 2.

The result of the ballot was announced at the start of the NEU’s annual conference held in Harrogate yesterday morning.

Last week, Education Secretary Gillian Keegan suggested that teachers could miss out on an increased pay deal this year if they rejected the offer.

The last teacher strike in March saw four York schools close - Yearsley Grove Primary School, Dringhouses Primary School, Copmanthorpe Primary School and Clifton Green Primary School. Other schools were partially closed.