Kevin Courtney (left) and Mary Bousted, spoke to the media before last-ditch talks with education secretary Gillian Keegan (Picture: PA)
Union leaders have said the education secretary ‘squandered an opportunity’ to avoid teacher strikes tomorrow.
Gillian Keegan met the heads of unions representing teachers and headteachers yesterday in a bid to resolve a pay dispute that threatens disruption to more than 23,000 schools this week.
But afterwards joint National Education Union (NEU) general secretaries Mary Bousted and Kevin Courtney said ministers had ‘been unwilling to seriously engage with the causes of strike action’.
Paul Whiteman, head of school leaders’ union NAHT, said ‘the meeting was unproductive’ but further talks would take place.
The department for education has offered a five per cent pay rise to most teachers for the school year, but the NEU is demanding a fully funded above-inflation rise.
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Teachers are joining train drivers, civil servants, university lecturers, bus drivers and security guards in a mass walkout over pay, jobs and conditions.
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Ministers had ‘been unwilling to seriously engage with the causes of strike action’.
