Teachers and school staff in Wales will strike across four days in February and March after voting for industrial action. Members from both the NAHT and NEU unions voted overwhelmingly to strike in a dispute over pay and conditions. It means school closures are very much on the cards for those days and parents will need to find childcare.
Announced on Monday, headteachers, support staff and other school workers in Wales will strike on February 1, February 14, March 15 and March 16. Similar to weather disruption like snow, whether schools close or not is up to local authorities and schools to decide. But the number of workers set to go on strike is likely to mean widespread school closures on those days as they will not be able to function as normal.
Teaching unions have been campaigning for months for a pay increase close to inflation, which is currently over 10%. Teachers in Wales rejected the Welsh Government's offer of a 5% increase in November, calling it an "insult" and threatening to strike unless a higher offer was put on the table.
