TEACHER strikes WILL go ahead on Wednesday after last ditch talks between unions and ministers today failed.
More than 23,000 schools will be affected in the biggest day of industrial action for a decade – with many shutting altogether.
NEU chiefs Kevin Courtney and Mary Bousted speak to reporters outside the Department for Education after failed talks with Education Secretary Gillian Keegan
It comes as members of the National Education Union (NEU) in England and Wales demand above-inflation pay rises.
But ministers say this unaffordable and would only make inflation even worse.
Figures suggest that up to 150,000 teachers could be out on strike that day.
90 per cent of the NEU’s 300,000 members voted for Wednesday’s walkout, turnout was 53 per cent.
Dr Mary Bousted and Kevin Courtney, Joint General Secretary of the National Education Union, said: “Gillian Keegan has squandered an opportunity to avoid strike action on Wednesday.
“The Government has been unwilling to seriously engage with the causes of strike action.
“This is having consequences for learning, with disruption every day to children’s education. We can do better as a nation, for education, for our children, if we invest more. That is in the gift of this government. It should start with a fully-funded, above inflation pay rise for teachers.”
