Head teachers and school leaders to vote on national strikefor first time
THOUSANDS of school principals across the UK will vote on whether to strike for the first time in history.
The Association of School and College Leaders announced today it will ballot members on industrial action.
The union wants a mass walk-out over “the school funding crisis, the erosion of teacher and leader pay and conditions, and consequent staff shortages which are undermining the education system“.
Geoff Barton, General Secretary of ASCL, said: “ASCL has never before formally balloted at a national level and this is clearly a very significant step.
“The fact that we have reached this point reflects the desperate situation regarding inadequate funding, long-term pay erosion, teacher shortages, and the intransigence of a government which we can only conclude does not value the education workforce or recognise the severe pressures facing the sector.”
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Mr Barton added: “This action is taken as a last resort and with a heavy heart, but we cannot accept the continued damage to education caused by government neglect and complacency.”
ASCL represents more than 23,000 trust leaders, headteachers, deputy and assistant headteachers, and business leaders of state and private schools.
Union chiefs say they’ve tried talking matters out with the Department for Education, but haven’t been able to reach a compromise.
In March a pay offer was rejected by 87% of members on a turnout of 56%.
News of the ballot comes as tens of thousands of teachers remain locked in a major dispute with ministers over pay and conditions.
Strikes are set to go ahead on Thursday 27 April and Tuesday 2 May.
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The National Education Union claimed it would said it would try to ensure GCSE and A-level pupils won’t be affected.
A spokesperson said: “We are asking our school reps to plan with head teachers to ensure that Year 11 and Year 13 students have a full programme of education on the upcoming strike days,”