Get ballot ready
On 28 February our indicative ballot will ask members if they would be prepared to strike over pay, funding and workload.
To make sure you can take part, check your myNEU details are correct.
The executive has approved the launch of the campaign, taking the argument for better pay and funding to government, to parents and the profession.
The government has proposed:
- an unfunded 6.5 per cent pay rise spread over the next three years, unlikely to match inflation.
- to get rid of the 1,265 working hours directed time limit, the only contractual protection on workload.
The historic decline in real-terms pay and loosening rules around workload will do nothing to address the ongoing recruitment and retention crisis.
Our schools are already ‘running on empty’, with years of chronic underfunding to blame for a lack of resources, staff redundancies, crumbling school estate, inadequate SEND provision, and so much more.
We know that taking industrial action – or being prepared to take action – is the most effective way to force the government to change its mind. We have done it before, and we can do it again.
Get ready to vote
But in the meantime, we're asking you to volunteer to help spread the word among all your colleagues and ensure we send a clear message to the government that enough is enough.
School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB) in England for the 2026 pay award
The government has submitted its proposal to the School Teachers' Review Body (STRB), suggesting a 6.5% pay rise for teachers spread over three years. However, most of that increase would come in the later years, meaning teachers would still face a real-terms pay cut, especially with inflation in mind.
The government isn’t offering any extra funding to cover this pay rise. Schools would have to find the money from their existing budgets, which are already stretched. This could lead to staff cuts, fewer subject options, and reduced support for students.
In addition, the government wants to increase teacher workload by loosening rules around “directed time” – the hours teachers are required to work. This comes at a time when workload is already at record highs and is a major reason why teachers are leaving the profession.
With sister unions, we have written to the Education Secretary. The joint union statement sets out the clear priority for the Government – invest properly in our education service to reverse the huge real terms pay cuts.
NEU pay claim and joint union statement to the STRB
An NEU pay claim and a separate joint statement have been submitted to the School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB) in England as evidence.
Sixth form college pay and workload consultation results
Members have overwhelmingly voted by 93.9 per cent to accept the pay offer on a turnout of 62.9 per cent, whilst near-uniformly rejecting by 86.6 per cent the inadequate response by the SFCA to our workload demands on a turnout of 61.4 per cent. Read more
