The National Union of Teachers has refused to rule out joint strike action with civil servants and NHS workers in September as the wait to hear from government on pay continues.
The School Teachers’ Review Body wrote to the government more than a month ago asking that September’s biennial pay rise be reviewed in the light of inflation.
With the NUT still waiting to hear the response, it has opened talks with fellow public sector unions such as Unison and the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) to consider joint action.
PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka last week said that September could see widespread industrial action, with incoming prime minister Gordon Brown’s speech at the Labour Party conference a possible target.
Asked whether this would present a perfect opportunity for teachers to make their point, a National Union of Teachers spokeswoman told Personnel Today: “We have not ruled anything out.
“We are waiting to hear from the government, and in the meantime we are carrying on discussions with other unions to find common timings and details for possible events.”
Teachers are due to receive a 2.5% pay rise in September, but with a clause that this will be reviewed if inflation averaged above 3.25% in the year to March 2007. Inflation averaged 3.75% in that period, and now stands at almost 5%, leading teachers’ unions to call for greater pay rises.
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