One-Day Strike Closes Schools

Many local schools may close or be disrupted by the NUT calling a national one-day strike on teachers’ pay for 24th April

A STRONG MAJORITY
NUT members were balloted for national strike action over the Government's proposals to impose further below-inflation pay increases on teachers.
NUT members voted by a majority of three to one to support the action.

A LAST RESORT
The NUT does not call for strike action lightly. This will be the first NUT national strike over pay for 21 years. It has been organised in full accordance with the requirements of the law.
The strike follows a lengthy campaign during which the NUT has repeatedly drawn attention to the frustration of teachers about the effects of below-inflation pay increases on:
•their living standards and those of their families;
•recruitment, retention and morale; and on
•the long-term future of the education service.

PAY CUT ON PAY CUT
The Government has decided to increase teachers’ pay by only 2.45 per cent this September when inflation and average pay rises in the private sector are both above 4 per cent.
This represents yet another pay cut for teachers on top of those to which teachers have been subjected in 2005, 2006 and 2007. The most vulnerable teachers, those new to the profession, will suffer most.

CONCERN DRIVES ACTION
The NUT has always cared deeply for the teaching profession and places the interests of children at the centre of all our campaigning. Standing up for the teaching profession is about valuing the work that teachers do.

BALLOT RESULT:
Ballot papers distributed 198,989 • Turnout 32.2%
Voting YES 75.2% • Voting NO 24.8%

NUT General Secretary, Steve Sinnott, said:
“Members voting 3 to 1 in favour of action is a clear mandate. I urge all members to support the union’s call for action on 24th April 2008. Fair Pay for Teachers.”

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Last Edited: 24/04/2008