Coordinated strike action could force ALL state schools in England to close, after reject pay offer

All state schools in England could close in the biggest series of strikes on record, as a fourth teaching union rejected a Government pay offer.

Millions of pupils face months of turmoil after the NASUWT teaching union voted to turn down the deal yesterday. It became the final union to reject the offer – and vowed to re-ballot members in a bid to launch fresh strikes.

The rejection sets the stage for the biggest series of summer-term walkouts to hit the education sector since the 1980s.

Five days of strike action have already been announced by the National Education Union (NEU) in the summer, with the first to take place on April 27 and May 2.

Patrick Roach, NASUWT general secretary, said all state schools in England would close if unions were to launch coordinated strike action.

All state schools in England could close in the biggest series of strikes on record, as a fourth teaching union rejected a Government pay offer. Pictured: The picket line outside St. Andrew’s RC Secondary School, in Glasgow, March 1

‘I think it is inevitable, in terms of teaching staff,’ he said.

Asked if it could be the biggest on record, Mr Roach said: ‘Together with the four days already taken, yes. Nine days… That’s a lot of action.’

He added: ‘The Government’s pay offer failed to come close to addressing the concerns over pay and working conditions of teachers and this has rightly been rejected by our members.

‘[Education Secretary] Gillian Keegan has said that she is willing to negotiate. She must now demonstrate that she means what she says by getting back around the negotiating table to find a resolution to our dispute.’

The union, which represents 280,000 teachers across the UK, said 87 per cent of members rejected the deal and 77 per cent said they would back industrial action.

After a period of intensive talks with education unions, the Government offered teachers a £1,000 one-off payment for the current school year and an average 4.5 per cent rise for staff next year.

The deal also included Ofsted reforms which would have given heads ‘greater clarity’ on when to expect their next inspection.

Patrick Roach (pictured), NASUWT general secretary, said all state schools in England would close if unions were to launch coordinated strike action

The offer was labelled ‘insulting’ by the NEU, while unions ASCL and NAHT also rejected the deal. The NEU is also preparing for strikes in the autumn, if it secures a mandate from members for six more months of industrial action.

Last week, Ms Keegan said: ‘After costing children almost a week of time in the classroom and exams approaching, it is extremely disappointing that the NEU have called more strike action.’

A Department for Education spokesman added: ‘The decisions to reject this offer will simply result in more disruption for children and less money for teachers today.’