Teachers in Wales to strike next month after rejecting a pay offer

Teachers in Wales will go on strike on March 2nd after rejecting a pay offer from the Welsh government.

The National Education Union (NEU) rejected the offer, which included an additional 1.5% to teachers’ pay and a 1.5% lump sum.

The NEU said the offer “falls short” of what is needed, failing to address the cost-of-living crisis, spiraling inflation, or the damage done to pay since 2010.

The industrial action was scheduled after discussions with Education Minister Jeremy Miles last week.

NEU Joint General Secretary Kevin Courtney stated that the union had a “clear mandate” for the strike action, which was originally scheduled for February 14 but postponed to convey details of the pay offer to members.

NEU Wales Secretary David Evans added that the union is committed to seeking a resolution to the dispute on behalf of teacher and support staff members employed across Wales.

“Whilst we acknowledge that the Welsh Government has made offers that include seeking to address workload and reopening negotiations for 2023/24, those offers still fall short of our members’ expectations and needs,” Evans said.

The strike will affect schools across Wales, and the NEU thanked the Education Minister for being prepared to negotiate with the union, in stark contrast to the Westminster government.

The offer was made as a result of discussions with the Education Minister, but the union rejected the offer, stating that it did not address the issues at hand.