Teachers in England accept government pay offer, says NEU

Education unions had said earlier this month they would call off further planned strikes, and recommended that teachers and other union members vote to accept a 6.5% pay increase, which the government has said would be its final offer. "Members have spoken very clearly and in great numbers," Mary Bousted and Kevin Courtney, joint general secretaries of the NEU, said.

Teachers in England have voted to accept the government's pay offer, the National Education Union (NEU) said on Monday, potentially ending a wave of disruptive strikes by teachers this year. Education unions had said earlier this month they would call off further planned strikes, and recommended that teachers and other union members vote to accept a 6.5% pay increase, which the government has said would be its final offer.

"Members have spoken very clearly and in great numbers," Mary Bousted and Kevin Courtney, joint general secretaries of the NEU, said. The union said an electronic ballot of its teacher members saw 86% vote to accept the offer and end industrial action, with a voting turnout of 60%.

The NEU is one of the largest education unions in Europe and represents more than 450,000 teachers, lecturers, education support staff and leaders. Britain has been witnessing its worst wave of industrial unrest in years, with railway, healthcare workers and employees from a range of other professions taking strike action in pay disputes amid high inflation.

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