Members of the largest teaching union in the UK have expressed their willingness to resort to industrial action to secure increased funding for schools. An indicative ballot conducted by the National Education Union (NEU) revealed that over 90% of participating members are open to taking such action.
Despite the strong stance taken by NEU members, less than half of eligible teacher members cast their votes in the ballot, with only 48.6% participating. NEU General Secretary Daniel Kebede criticized the government’s approach towards schools, stating that members are ready to take any necessary steps to safeguard education.
The NEU initiated the indicative ballot in late February, focusing on whether members would support strikes regarding teacher pay, workload, and school funding. Criticism was directed at the Department for Education’s proposal for a 6.5% pay increase for teachers over the next three years.
Responding to the ballot, an overwhelming majority of teachers, around 96%, rejected the DfE’s pay rise suggestion. The NEU’s national executive is set to convene in the coming month to determine the next course of action. Additionally, support staff members of the union also participated in a similar ballot, with 86.5% expressing readiness for industrial action.
Kebede highlighted the challenging situation in schools, emphasizing the impact of long-term funding cuts and increased workload on staff members. He warned of further cuts affecting support staff jobs, subject choices, and basic resources, ultimately hindering children’s education.
Expressing concerns about the lack of additional funding for staff pay, Kebede underscored the urgent need for support in the education sector. He emphasized that without new funding, schools would face additional cuts that could have detrimental effects on the quality of education provided.
Furthermore, Kebede raised the alarm at the NEU’s annual conference, noting a decline in teachers’ confidence in the Labour party and indicating a willingness to pursue national strike action to protect school funding if required. Delegates at the NASUWT’s annual conference also supported a motion advocating for a national strike ballot in the absence of increased government funding for schools and special educational needs and disabilities (Send), alongside efforts to reduce teacher workload.
In terms of recent pay increases, teachers received a 4% raise for the 2025/26 academic year following a 5.5% increase in 2024/25 and a 6.5% rise in 2023/24 after the NEU engaged in strike action.