Schools to strike again on 5 and 7 July

The National Education Union (NEU) National Executive on 17 June agreed to call strikes on 5 and 7 July, with a demonstration outside Parliament on 5 July, to push further for an inflation-proof and fully funded pay rise in England.

Annual Conference decided on three strike days after the exam period had ended. It is never good to see the Executive overturn Conference decisions, and, to make it worse, the proposal for three days was put to Conference in an urgency motion from the Executive itself, originally from the national officers.

There was no real explanation for this change, only mention of issues we were all aware of at Easter (loss of three days' pay, problems with late summer, prospect of more serious escalation in autumn with other unions).

The proposal put to the Executive by the national office was for just one strike day. Some of us argued to stick with the Conference decision and call three. We lost that but it helped to persuade people that we needed at least two.

The context for action is broadly very positive. The three other unions representing teachers, including leadership unions, are balloting for strikes to start in September. The NEU is part-way through a reballot of teacher members, and the indications are that the thresholds will be met and the ballot won. The NEU is also balloting support staff for strikes on funding and working conditions.

There is every prospect of a significant escalation after the start of the new term in September.

Meantime the teachers’ pay review body (STRB) has submitted its report to the Secretary of State Gillian Keegan, who is sitting on it and refusing union demands to publish. This may be because it recommends more than either the government’s initial suggestion (3.5%) or their pitiful offer in April (4.5%). The Times has reported that the STRB recommends a 6.5% increase. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/teachers-should-get-6-5-rise-says-pay-body-as-doctors-plan-strikes-br0zxlmxz

A big part of the NEU agitation in the run-up to the July strikes will be a demand that Keegan publish the report and her response. To force her to do that would be a success, but 6.5% is still a real-terms pay cut, it does nothing to improve the 2022-3 pay award, and there is no indication that it would be either accepted by government or fully funded.

We need to build the July strikes, win the teacher and support staff ballots and then escalate in autumn.