The National Education Union (NEU) has initiated an indicative ballot to gauge member support for potential strike action regarding teacher pay, workload, and school funding. This ballot, which opened on February 28, 2024, will remain active until April 17, 2024, as the union seeks a mandate to address what it describes as a “severe crisis” in education.
NEU General Secretary Daniel Kebede stated, “Schools are running on empty.” He emphasized the challenges of expecting schools to fund a proposed 6.5 percent pay increase over three years from their existing budgets. Kebede criticized the Treasury’s assertion that there are still efficiencies to be gained, calling it a “laughing stock.” He attributed the current crisis to chronic underfunding by successive governments, which has resulted in outdated equipment, damaged furniture, and insufficient staffing.
The Department for Education (DfE) has recommended that teachers receive the 6.5 percent pay increase over the next three years, a proposal that has faced backlash from unions. The indicative ballot will ask NEU members whether they reject this offer and if they are willing to take industrial action to secure a pay increase that exceeds inflation, alleviate workload issues, and ensure adequate funding for schools to prevent redundancies.
A survey conducted by the NEU in January revealed that approximately seven in ten teachers believe their schools lack the necessary funding to meet basic educational provisions for students. The NEU, the largest teaching union in the UK, announced its decision to hold this indicative ballot in November 2023 following the autumn budget discussions.
Teachers have experienced incremental pay increases in recent years, with a 4 percent rise awarded for the 2025/26 academic year, following increases of 5.5 percent in 2024/25 and 6.5 percent in 2023/24, after previous strikes. According to the National Foundation for Educational Research, these recent increases have restored teacher starting salaries to 2010/11 levels in real terms. However, the growth in teacher starting salaries from 2010/11 to 2025/26 has not kept pace with average earnings growth during that period.
As the ballot progresses, the NEU aims to mobilize its members to advocate for better funding and working conditions within schools, reflecting the urgent need for substantial improvements in the education sector.
