Teachers in sixth-form colleges in England are the latest workers to be balloted over strike action in pursuit of an above-inflation pay rise.
The National Education Union (NEU), which represents the majority of teachers in the sixth-form college sector, said members had voted overwhelmingly in an indicative ballot for a pay rise to exceed RPI, which was 11.7% at the time of the original claim.
The union said the offer would mean a 5% increase for most teachers in the sector which would not protect members’ living standards. The NEU will proceed with a formal ballot for industrial action, which will run from Tuesday until 11 November.
Dr Mary Bousted, the NEU joint general secretary, said sixth-form college teachers had experienced a 20% real-terms pay cut since 2010. “No one wants to take strike action but year after year of below-inflation pay increases have now had a major impact on the value of their pay.
