Teachers’ union warns of strikes over low salaries

THE UK’S largest teaching union has warned of strikes in the autumn until the Government commits to “inflation-plus” pay hikes.

The National Education Union said yesterday it would consult its 450,000-strong membership over industrial action if ministers fail to act on pay, staffing and workload issues.

In a letter to the Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi, NEU chiefs Dr Mary Bousted and Kevin Courtney said: “We can no longer stand by while you run both education and educators into the

ground.” The Government has proposed a 3% wage increase for most teachers in England to the pay review body, which has not yet reported back on its decisions.

But the NEU said this would amount to a huge pay cut as inflation hit 9.1% on the consumer price index measure. yesterday. It comes amid warnings over a summer of discontent as the

Government goes to war with unions over their demands for inflation-busting pay rises. No10 argues these hikes will fuel a wage-price spiral - but failure to act leaves workers facing real terms pay cuts.

Teachers’ pay has fallen by a fifth in real terms since 2010.