Teachers could launch the biggest strikes in a decade from September as part of a “united front” by all four education unions in England, the next head of the biggest union has warned.
In his first interview since being elected general secretary of the National Education Union (NEU), Daniel Kebede predicted that Rishi Sunak’s threats to overrule the results of an independent pay review body would spark outrage among teachers and further strikes.
All four education unions are balloting their members over further strike action in the autumn, while NEU members prepare to strike on Wednesday and Friday in the long-running pay dispute.
“What strike action looks like very much depends on the government,” said Kebede, who takes over as general secretary in August. “But it’s not just going to be our union with a strike ballot, there will also be the headteachers’ unions and the prospect of the NASUWT taking action on strike ballots in thousands of schools up and down the country.
“This government could be faced with the very real prospect of a united front demanding a change of course.”
Kebede said Sunak and the education secretary, Gillian Keegan, could have averted further strike action by publishing the report of the School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB), which is said to recommend a 6.5% pay increase for teachers.
