Teachers in Wales call off strikes next week

Two days of strike action by teachers in Wales next week have been called off after the Welsh Government proposed a new pay offer.

Members of the National Education Union (NEU) were due to take industrial action in Wales on March 15 and March 16 in an ongoing dispute over pay.

But the NEU, the largest education union in the UK, has announced that the strikes in Wales will be cancelled following talks with the Welsh Government.

Education Minister Jeremy Miles tabled an offer of an 8% pay increase for 2022-23 and increased the offer of a 3.5% pay hike for 2023-24 to 5%.

The Welsh government had told unions that agreement on a deal needed to be made by 17 March if its members were to get a pay rise this year.

Mr Miles confirmed he would pay teachers the rise as talks continue if they suspended action until the end of the academic year.

Back pay

The Minister said the new deal would provide teachers with a “significant” back payment.

In a letter to teachers, Mr Miles said it was “imperative” that while negotiations continued pupils should not face losing more school days.

Dr Mary Bousted and Kevin Courtney, the NEU’s joint general secretaries, thanked the Welsh government for the “constructive manner in which they have pursued a solution”.

“It is vital that we do all we can, together, to combat the recruitment and retention crisis and ensure that more people join the profession and stay in the profession,” they said.

“The Welsh Government recognises this and has also understood the importance of the pay offer being fully funded. In addition, they have committed to working with us on tackling workload.”