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Teacher strikes called off after new Welsh government offer

Teachers in Wales called off two days of strikes after the Welsh Government proposed a new salary offer.

National Education Union (NEU) members were due to move out in Wales on March 15-16.

However, the union has said the strikes in Wales are being called off after talks with the Welsh Government.

Education Secretary Jeremy Miles had offered to give teachers an 8% pay rise for 2022-23.

The Welsh Government has told unions they need to reach an agreement by March 17 if members are to benefit from a pay rise this year.

Mr Miles said he would pay teachers the increase if talks continued if they suspended measures until the end of the school year.

Mr Miles said it would give teachers a “significant” back payment.

His letter to teachers said the offer was in the interest of Welsh schoolchildren.

Mr Miles said it was “imperative” that students should not expect to lose any more school days while negotiations are ongoing.

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Mr Miles has also made an improved offer of 5% for 2023-24, up from 3.5%.

dr Mary Bousted and Kevin Courtney, joint general secretaries of the NEU, thanked the Welsh Government for the “constructive way in which they have sought a solution”.

“It’s important that we do what we can together to combat the recruitment and retention crisis and ensure more people enter and stay in the profession,” they said.

“The Welsh Government recognizes this and also understands the importance of the salary offer being fully funded. In addition, she has committed to working with us to manage the workload.”

All schools in Wales were hit by strikes on March 2nd, postponed from February 14th.

The strike originally planned for February 14 in Wales was postponed to allow the NEU to consult members on an improved salary offer from the Welsh Government which was later rejected.

Members of NAHT, which represents school principals, are currently taking strikes on the eve of a strike, while the teachers’ union NASUWT had rejected the offer and was pending the vote of members.

NAHT Cymru Director Laura Doel said: “This is a positive step, but we still have concerns about some elements of the funding of the offering.”

NASUWT was asked to comment.

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