The National Education Union will formally ballot members in sixth form colleges for industrial action after 85 per cent of respondents to an indicative ballot backed strike action.
Turnout in the indicative poll of 4,100 members in 77 sixth form colleges was 76.6 per cent – well above the 50 per cent threshold for formal ballots required under tough union laws that came into force in 2016.
The 85 per cent support for a strike is also more than double the 40 per cent required, meaning if the results are repeated in the formal ballot, industrial action would go ahead.
Overall, 97 per cent of respondents backed calls for a pay rise to exceed RPI, which was 11.7 per cent when the pay claim was submitted.
