98% say ‘reject’ the Tories’ latest puny pay offer! That’s the result of the consultation of teachers carried out by the National Education Union (NEU).
Socialist Party members on the union’s national executive had voted for the consultation to take place, with a recommendation from the executive to reject. That has involved and mobilised members, and the result is an even bigger mandate than in the original strike ballot.
The ballot shows members are willing to fight on. Now NEU conference has voted to take five more days of national strike action in England: on 27 April, 2 May, and three more days later in the summer term.
Socialist Party members moved an amendment to strengthen this decision and escalate the action further. Unfortunately, because only 40 minutes was allotted to debate this most important of issues, the amendment was not reached in the agenda.
The timetable of action agreed at the conference includes a campaign to win the reballot that is required by Tory anti-union laws, and that will be necessary for the battle to continue into the autumn term if necessary.
This year we have shown there is power in the union and we have shown the government that we are a power to be reckoned with. But they’re not backing down yet, so neither must we. We need to show whatever they saw last term, that ain’t nothin’! We are coming back stronger with a larger mandate from the consultation to fight for our pay. We need to continue to coordinate with other unions. But we also need to escalate our own action.
Fighting for the pay that retains teachers, and the funding that means that we retain support staff, and have enough resources to teach and support our students, is fighting for our students. We can ensure those facing exams have support. We are the ones that know the students, so we can say if they need revision sessions, if they need online support – whatever it is that they need.
But what they don’t need, is three-fifths of us leaving the profession in the first five years. What they don’t need is dedicated, experienced teachers facing burnout and being forced from their roles. We need to win our fight for fair pay and funding as soon as possible, and we’ll do this by escalating with more days in a shorter period of time.
But members are struggling. We need to take an appeal for strike funds to our communities, our trade union brothers and sisters in other unions and trades councils, to ensure no-one has to make a decision on whether to strike or not due to money.
Our 57,000 support staff members are some of the lowest-paid in our society. Let’s reballot our support staff as soon as possible – this month – using the momentum of the teacher reject vote. Let’s ensure support staff can join the picket lines for action in June and July.
Sheila Caffrey, NEU NEC member
The following Socialist Party members are standing in the NEU national executive elections:
Sheila Caffrey, Sean McCauley and Steve Scott, all sitting NEC members, plus Anna Scott.
If successful, they will join Louise Cuffaro, already elected unopposed
