UK refusal to increase teachers’ pay induces further strikes

Friday, 03 March 2023 8:15 AM [ Last Update: Friday, 03 March 2023 8:15 AM ]

Teachers on strike in Glasgow, Scotland in January 2023 – calling for a pay rise (Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

A nationwide strike by teaching staff in the UK has resulted in thousands of schools being fully or partially closed, affecting millions of students.

It was walkout Thursday in Britain as tens of thousands of teachers walked off the job once again.

Sapna, who has been a teacher for 11 years, had this to say:

Now, it just feels like we've got to carry on with the strikes, because they're not listening to us.

They're not valuing us and they're not giving us what we want; better conditions, better pay, and all of that, really.

Sapna, School Teacher

UK refusal to raise teachers pay forces more strikes

UK refusal to raise teachers pay forces more strikes

Hundreds of thousands of teachers in the UK are on a three-day strike to demand higher pay and more funding for schools.

This is day three of a nationwide strike that has forced thousands of schools closed or partially closed, affecting millions of students.

These teachers, like the tens of thousands of others across the country, are here today to make sure their voices are heard.

They're part of a wave of industrial action across the different sectors of the economy, all calling on the government for pay rises that match the soaring inflation.

Tens of thousands of nurses from the Royal College of Nursing Union and ambulance crews have gone on an unprecedented strike, calling on the NHS for increased pay as well as better work conditions.

Unprecedented UK Nursing Union and Ambulance crews strike

Tens of thousands of nurses from the Royal College of Nursing Union and ambulance crews have gone on an unprecedented strike, calling on the NHS for increased pay as well as better work conditions

Teachers unions are also hitting out at leaked text messages between disgraced former Health Minister, Matt Hancock, and former education minister, Gavin Williamson, in which the latter describes teachers as "skivers".

A leaked report last year showed that hundreds of schools in England were dilapidated and at risk of collapsing.

300,000 teachers in England on strike

‘Walkout Wednesday’: UK hit by biggest day of strike action in a decade

The UK has been engulfed in the biggest strike over pay in more than a decade.

Despite the report, and a massive strike last month, the government has refused to budge.

We've actually given teachers the highest pay rise in 30 years, includes a 9% pay rise for newly qualified teachers, a record investment in their training and development.

British Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak

·Tens of thousands of UK teachers to stage fresh strikes over pay dispute.

Tens of thousands of UK teachers to stage fresh strikes in dispute over pay

Tens of thousands of teachers across England and Wales are slated to take part in three days of industrial action in the long-running dispute over pay, resulting in the closure of schools.

To the National Education Union, that accused the government of refusing meaningful talks, Sunak’s assessment is simply untrue.

We were offered 5% for teachers at some points on the scale, less than that for others.

And because we've had a pay freeze for loads of successive years since 2010, and then a few pay awards that were either below or in line with inflation, that's effectively another pay cut.

Jenny Cooper, National Education Union

Britain's teaching and nursing unions have announced major strikes.

UK teachers, nurses set to stage more strikes, amid sweeping wave of industrial actions

Britain

The next strike is planned for March 15. If there is no movement on pay, we're likely to see more strikes not just from the teachers like Sapna, but the workers in other key professions who, at least for now, enjoy broad public support.