Wales could be set for widespread school closures in the coming months if teachers decide to vote for strike action. A number of the UK's biggest teaching unions are currently balloting their members for industrial action, with the results due to come back in the coming weeks.
If unions vote to strike it could mean several days of widespread schools with parents forced to keep their children at home. Unions have been campaigning for months for a better pay deal after rejecting the Welsh Government's offer of a 5% increase in November, labelling it an "insult."
NEU Cymru and Association of School and College Unions Cymru have previously warned they are likely to strike if the offer was not increased, something the Welsh Government has refused to do. Inflation is currently over 10% in Wales meaning any increase less than this would constitute a real-terms pay cut, something many in the industry are unprepared to accept.
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Many of the unions balloting for strike action are closing their votes in the coming week before counting them and returning a result. Although some have pledged not to strike before the end of the month, the results could mean widespread school closures and disruption for learners in the next few months if teachers vote for action.
The Welsh Government's November offer - originally recommended by the Independent Welsh Pay Review Body - increased the starting teacher's salary in Wales to £28,866 and the salaries of more experienced classroom teachers to £44,450. All allowances were also uprated by 5%.
With teachers already announcing strike dates in Scotland, here is everything you need to know about when teachers are voting, when strikes could take place and what could happen.
Why are teachers balloting for industrial action?
Inflation is currently more than 10% in the UK having reached a 40-year high in the last few months. Against the backdrop of rising energy bills, supermarket costs and general cost of living, many teachers feel their salaries are too low and are looking for an increase more in line with inflation. As well as causing hardship for those in the profession, the pay issues are also said to be putting pressure on teachers and schools around the UK due to them being unable to hire and retain enough staff.
An offer of around 5% by the Welsh Government was rejected in November, with Dr Patrick Roach, NASUWT general secretary, saying that Cardiff Bay had "failed to recognise the damaging impact of years of real-terms pay cuts on the morale of teachers, which is fuelling the teacher recruitment and retention crisis". He added that the 5% pay award for teachers and head teachers was "unacceptable at a time when inflation is running at more than 10% and it will result in even more financial misery for hard-working teachers."
Will teachers go on strike across the UK?
It is possible. Several of the UK's main teaching unions are currently balloting for action, with the deadline for votes fast approaching.
A NASUWT ballot, covering staff in schools and sixth form colleges in England, Scotland, and Wales closes on Monday January 9. If members vote to strike, it is likely to be late January or early February before any strikes happen.
The NAHT union, which represents head teachers and other school leaders in England and Wales, has a ballot closing on Wednesday January 11. Action is expected from the end of January if members vote yes.
The NEU – the country’s largest education union – is balloting its members across England and Wales with the vote closing on Friday January 13. It said it would give "appropriate notice" of any strike if members vote for action.
The UCAC union ballot ends on January 12 and the union won't seek to commence strike action before January 30. General secretary at the union Ioan Rhys Jones said: "Our ballot will be finishing on January 12 and we will not seek to commence strike action before January 30. We are hoping that we will get the result by the start of the week commencing January 16." The ASCL, which represents school and college leaders, is consulting its members about whether to hold a formal ballot, while lecturers and other university staff have already been striking over pay, pensions and working conditions.
Teaching assistants, who are represented by a number of unions in Wales including GMB and Unison, will not be striking after members opted to accept a pay offer last year. Any unions will have to reach the required 50% threshold in order for their members' vote to be enacted.
In Scotland teachers have already voted to strike. Primary school teachers who are members of the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) will strike on Tuesday January 10, with secondary school teachers walking out on Wednesday January 11. These will be joined by NASUWT members, with Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association (SSTA) union members striking on January 11. Staff will strike across different parts of Scotland across days in January and February after the Scottish government refused to improve its pay offer.
Will schools close if teachers strike?
If teachers vote to strike than we can expect school closures across the country. In Wales, industrial action is treated the same as any other possible disruption to a school like severe weather or snow, so individual schools alongside local authorities plan and implement measures that minimise the impact on pupils learning and decide how best to make up for pupils’ education that has been lost.
With most unions closing their ballots next week, we are likely to find out whether or not strikes will happen in Wales in the coming weeks.
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