Teachers in Wales have called off their strike next week after the Welsh Government increased its pay offer and offered staff a one off lump sum. Members of the National Education union were due to walk out on February 14, but that has now been suspended while members consider the new extra 3% offer.
Hundreds of schools shut when teachers walked out across Wales last week in a bitter row over pay and funding. They said they were taking action to save children's education with pay erosion and cost of living causing a crisis in teacher retention and recruitment.
The National Executive of the NEU said after "detailed talks" with Education Minister Jeremy Miles and Welsh Government officials it has now agreed to suspend the walk out until March 2 while it puts the new offer to members.
Read more: The powerful reasons teachers on the picket line gave for why they are striking
The revised offer from the Welsh Government, which came late on February 8, which would see teachers get an extra 3% on top of the 5% already offered - 1.5% of which would be a one off payment - you can read more about the offer and what it means here.
NEU Joint General Secretary Kevin Courtney said: “The willingness of the Welsh Government to engage in talks with us about the current pay dispute is in stark contrast to the position taken by Westminster and the Secretary of State for Education Gillian Keegan. We have now had a series of discussions in Wales where the focus has been on resolving the dispute, resulting in the current offer of an additional consolidated award of 1.5% this year, plus a non-consolidated lump sum of 1.5%.
“Whilst the offer remains significantly below our members' demands, and does not begin to address the real terms cuts visited upon teachers since 2010, the Union will consult with our branches and workplace representatives to secure the views of members in Wales.
"In the meantime, next Tuesday’s strike action will be postponed until 2 March. Meanwhile, we will continue to press for a fully consolidated award and to seek an offer in respect of support staff members, who have also provided a clear mandate for action.”
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NEU Wales Secretary David Evans said other issues still needed addressing: “Workload remains a huge issue for our members and progress has been made in attending to a range of workload drivers for the short, medium and long term. We have conveyed our members’ views to Welsh Government, who have signalled an intent to address what has become an unsustainable pressure on the workforce and will be welcomed across the profession.
“There has also been an agreement to review the Independent Wales Pay Review Board’s recommendations on pay for the 2023/24 academic year. We look forward to providing detailed evidence of the effects of spiralling inflation and cost-of-living crisis to the IWPRB. We have been pressing for this review which is clearly overdue.”
Half of the extra 3% is "consolidated" meaning it's a one off payment to end the strike rather than part of a pay deal that would impact on next year's pay negotiations, a union official said. A last minute revised offer to NHS staff saw health unions call off their walk out.
Education Minister Jeremy Miles said: "The decision not to proceed with strike action next week is good news for pupils, parents, carers and staff. We also welcome that NEU and NAHT have agreed to take the new pay offer to their members and representatives.
"Discussions over recent weeks have been productive, where we have made good progress on issues such as reducing staff workload and supporting wellbeing. I would like to thank everyone who has participated in these constructive negotiations.”
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