School strikes to go ahead in days after talks fail – here’s everything you need to know about walkouts | The Sun
TEACHER strikes WILL go ahead on Wednesday after last-ditch talks between unions and ministers today failed.
More than 23,000 schools will be affected in the biggest day of industrial action for a decade – with many shutting altogether.
It means up to 4.5million schoolkids could be affected, sparking chaos for parents and pupils alike.
Union chiefs today revealed their talks had not led to a breakthrough and they would go ahead with their strikes as planned.
Members of the National Education Union (NEU) in England and Wales have demanded huge pay rises.
But ministers say this unaffordable and would only make inflation even worse.
Figures suggest that up to 150,000 teachers could be out on strike that day.
90 per cent of the NEU's 300,000 members voted for Wednesday's walkout, turnout was 53 per cent.
The first strikes will go ahead on Wednesday, followed by regional ones on February 14 and 28, and March 1 and 2.
Nationwide walkouts in England and Wales will take place on March 15 and 16.
Dr Mary Bousted and Kevin Courtney, Joint General Secretary of the National Education Union, said this afternoon ministers had not engaged with them ahead of strikes.
She said: "Gillian Keegan has squandered an opportunity to avoid strike action on Wednesday.
"The Government has been unwilling to seriously engage with the causes of strike action.
"This is having consequences for learning, with disruption every day to children's education. We can do better as a nation, for education, for our children, if we invest more.
"That is in the gift of this government. It should start with a fully-funded, above inflation pay rise for teachers."
And Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, added:
“Parents will have been looking for the government to avert the planned strike on Wednesday.
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"Instead, the government continues to talk around the issues rather than putting anything on the table which allows for any meaningful negotiation. It is deeply disappointing.
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“We are sorry to report that there is therefore no resolution to the dispute and the strike is set to go ahead."
A full list of planned strikes by area can be found here.
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