British teachers' strike bid thwarted by low ballot turnout

School teachers in England and Wales will not be able to strike over pay demands after turnout in a ballot by a trade union came in below the legal threshold, even though most teachers who did vote favoured strike action. The NASUWT union said on Thursday nine in 10 teachers who voted in its ballot supported strike action, but the 42% turnout fell short of the required 50% threshold.

School teachers in England and Wales will not be able to strike over pay demands after turnout in a ballot by a trade union came in below the legal threshold, even though most teachers who did vote favoured strike action.

The NASUWT union said on Thursday nine in 10 teachers who voted in its ballot supported strike action, but the 42% turnout fell short of the required 50% threshold. While the low turnout prevents teachers from taking industrial action, the union said it remained in dispute with the government and employers and would continue to campaign for better pay.

“It is clear that our members are sending a strong message to the government on the need to address teachers’ pay concerns," NASUWT General Secretary Patrick Roach said. “The readiness of our members to support industrial action demonstrates the anger of the profession and the need for governments in England and Wales to engage in meaningful negotiations."

A separate ballot of 300,000 teachers and support staff by another trade union, the National Education Union, remains ongoing and closes on Friday. A result in that ballot in favour of striking could result in a much larger walkout.

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