North Northants teacher delegation heads to union conference following record ballot turnout

There, they will debate key motions and discuss the union’s next steps, following a record turnout of 42 per cent of members across North Northamptonshire voting in favour of taking industrial action, according to union officials.

The result comes as part of a national indicative ballot, which closed last Friday, over the government’s proposed 2.8 per cent unfunded pay award for teachers. The pay increase, which would need to be met from existing school budgets, has raised concerns among educators about further financial strain on already stretched resources.

Union representatives argue that without additional government funding, the pay award would result in real-terms cuts to school funding, with redundancies and other cost saving measures being used to make savings in order to fund the pay award.

Phill Monk, NEU North Northants District Secretary, said the turnout sends a clear message: “It is great to see so many of our members coming out in force to send this government a message that this pay award needs to be fully funded. Without it, local schools will face real-terms cuts and will have to stretch already thin budgets even further next year and beyond. This week we head to conference to decide what happens next for members who are desperate to see an end to the worst recruitment and retention crisis for twenty years."

Nationally, 93.7 per cent of NEU members rejected the government's offer, and 83.4 per cent indicated they would be willing to strike. However, the current vote does not automatically trigger strike action. A formal ballot, requiring a legal turnout threshold, would still be needed before any industrial action can take place.

Lauren Ellis, District Secretary for East Northants added: “The turnout nationally is promising. It shows teachers are willing to act over the future of the schools they work in. Despite workload being at an all-time high, with more teachers leaving the profession and fewer entering, they are still standing up for students and the profession. We'd like to thank all those local members who have cast their vote this time around.”

The NEU Annual Conference is running from Monday to Thursday this week, in Harrogate, North Yorkshire.