Bolton NEU warn strike action still possible over pay

The Government has accepted recommendations from the School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB) to award teachers a 3.5 per cent pay rise from September, followed by a further 3 per centincrease from September 2027.

However, the Department for Education (DfE) has confirmed that schools will be expected to fund the first 1 per cent of each pay award from their existing budgets, with additional government funding covering the remainder.

Robert Poole, assistant district secretary of the Bolton District of the National Education Union, welcomed the pay rise but warned that the funding arrangements would place schools under even greater financial pressure.

He said: “The offer of a 3.5 per cent pay rise is a positive but limited step forward and reflects the union’s success in campaigning for fair pay restoration for teachers.

“However, we remain concerned that schools will be expected to partially fund the rises.

“The decision to force schools to fund the first 1% of the award from their existing budgets is a devastating blow.

“School budgets in Bolton are already stretched to breaking point after years of systemic underfunding.

“Expecting headteachers to find this extra money puts them in an impossible position, inevitably forcing choices that could result in cuts to essential resources, a reduction in support staff, or larger class sizes.

“Because of this, the National Education Union is quite rightly keeping all options on the table.

“If the Government fails to fully fund this rise, industrial action remains a possibility to protect both our profession and the quality of education in Bolton.”

The NEU, the UK’s largest teaching union, has previously warned it could formally ballot members for strike action later this year if ministers failed to deliver a fully funded, above-inflation pay settlement.

Following Wednesday’s announcement, an NEU spokesperson said the union was “considering all options”.

Teachers’ union NASUWT also said “all options, including possible industrial action, remain on the table”.

The Government announced that schools will receive an additional £1.8 billion over the next two years to help fund pay rises for teachers and support staff, while colleges and further education providers will receive a further £485 million over the same period.

Nationally, NEU general secretary Daniel Kebede said schools would still be expected to find around £460 million from existing budgets despite the additional funding.

He said a partially funded settlement would continue to place pressure on schools already struggling financially.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson defended the settlement, describing it as a “multi-year deal” backed by significant investment that recognises teachers’ dedication while giving schools greater certainty over pay and budgets.

The pay awards are above the current rate of UK inflation, which stood at 2.8% in May.