Teachers in England “will not back down on pay,” says the National Education Union (NEU) after talks with the government failed to result in a new offer.
A principals’ union said there was a “limit on how often” meetings could end without new proposals.
More than half of schools in England were closed or partially closed as teachers in England and Wales went on strike on February 1.
Further strikes at NEU are planned for this month and next.
- When do teachers strike and how are they paid?
- Salary offer for teachers in Scotland called ‘tiny baby steps’
- Teachers in Wales go on strike in March
After meeting Education Secretary Gillian Keegan, NEU joint general secretary Kevin Courtney said there was “nothing we could work with to justify suspending the regional strikes the next day” on February 28.
“Although a more positive tone prevailed in today’s talks and as a result more meetings will be scheduled, the outcome was still disappointing,” he said.
“Gillian Keegan and the Government must be clear that teachers will not back down.”
Teachers in Wales have rejected an improved salary offer from the Welsh Government and will go on strike again on March 2nd.
The industrial action was scheduled for February 14 but was postponed after ministers offered an additional 1.5% pay rise and a one-off payment of 1.5%. The offer was made to the NEU members over the weekend, but they turned it down.
- Figures show that most schools are affected by strikes
- “The decision to close our school was terrible”
The Scottish Government has also come up with a new offer – a 6% pay rise this year and a further 5.5% in the new financial year which starts in April.
EIS, Scotland’s largest teachers’ union, said no decision had yet been made on whether to suspend the measures.
The BBC has contacted the Department of Education for comment.
Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, warned that without an improved offer in England, their own members – and those of other unions – could conclude “that industrial action is the only remaining option”.
“There’s a limit to how many times we can get out of a meeting with the education secretary without progress being made,” he said.
dr Patrick Roach, general secretary of the NASUWT union, said unions were “a long way from hearing what concrete proposals the government is willing to put on the table”.
“The Education Secretary has some catching up to do with developments in Wales and Scotland over the past week,” he added.
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