Teachers across England and Wales are set to strike on Wednesday over a dispute concerning pay. The strikes, which are part of seven days of industrial action, will impact an estimated seven million pupils.
Negotiations between unions and the Scottish government have temporarily halted strikes in Scotland. Local councils have warned that around 85% of schools will either fully or partially close.
The National Education Union (NEU), National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union and the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) have organized the strikes.
Education secretary Gillian Keegan has refused to meet with the unions until the threat of strike action has been lifted.
During earlier strikes, some schools were only partially closed and brought in vulnerable children and exam year students. Schools are advising parents to check individual school websites for any potential disruptions.
The Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) has been proposed by education unions in an attempt to create a safe environment to resume negotiations with the government.
However, the government insists that strike action by the NEU must be cancelled before negotiations will continue. The government has not yet responded to the unions’ proposal, leading them to conclude that the offer was declined.
The unions continue to appeal to the government to begin meaningful talks in order to resolve the dispute.
Ofsted has advised schools that it will defer inspections on the days of the strike action if they are impacted by the industrial action. A list of school closures in various regions across England and Wales is available on local authority websites.
»Thousands of UK schools to close on Wednesday as teachers go on strike«
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