Spalding-based Lincolnshire National Education Union secretary says our teachers don't want to strike but do want their voices heard

Teachers in the county don’t want to strike - but they need to have their voices heard ‘loud and clear’.

That is the view of the Spalding-based Lincolnshire secretary of the National Education Union, who still hopes positive discussions can avert industrial action.

This month, NEU members in England and Wales voted to strike over seven dates in February and March.

“It does not come to me as a surprise because members have told me throughout the county how disappointed they are,” said NEU county secretary Ken Rustidge,

“It’s a number of issues; childcare issues, the cost of that has doubled, recruitment and retention of teachers is a difficulty.

“Headteachers have told me the difficulty in getting teaching assistants as they can get paid more money in a local supermarket.”

The Government has offered teachers a 5% pay rise, but this money would be expected to come from already tight school budgets, meaning less cash to spend on pupils.

“Potentially it could mean larger class sizes, potential redundancies, less money to spend on buildings,” continued Mr Rustidge, who says salaries and terms are seeing young people leave the profession.

“Teachers absolutely want to be in schools teaching. But teachers’ pay has fallen 15% since 2010. There is a 5% pay offer, which most schools luckily have honoured, but that money has come from the school budget.

“Members and headteachers are telling me they’d be pleased if they could make up that money, but in real terms inflation’s running at 10% and that represents a paycut.

“If you add the 15% in, in real terms that’s something like a 10-12% paycut since 2010.

“When you think of young teachers there’s a recruit and retention crisis and you won’t get the best teachers if they’ve got to worry about that.”

All schools in England and Wales will strike on February 1, March 15 and March 16, with East Midlands NEU members picketing on March 1.

But Mr Rustidge hopes industrial action could still be averted.

He said: “Most teachers don’t want to do this, but the voice of teachers has been heard loud an clear.

“I still do hope the Government comes to the table. I was encouraged listening to the radio when they said there’s going to be more talks this week.

“Please implore all MPs to come back, to listen and to talk and look at things and see if we can move this forward.”