June 23, 2016 3.35 pm This story is over 92 months old

Lincolnshire teachers to strike next month over pay and conditions

Members of the National Union of Teachers in Lincolnshire will head out on strike next month as part of a national day of industrial action over pay and conditions. The NUT has called the strike for July 5, demanding an increase in funding to schools and education, a guarantee of terms and conditions in all…

Members of the National Union of Teachers in Lincolnshire will head out on strike next month as part of a national day of industrial action over pay and conditions.

The NUT has called the strike for July 5, demanding an increase in funding to schools and education, a guarantee of terms and conditions in all types of schools, and for negotiations on teacher contracts to be resumed.

Union members voted overwhelmingly for the strike, with 91.7% supporting the action.

Kevin Courtney, Acting General Secretary of the National Union of Teachers, the largest teachers’ union, said: “The NUT is not taking action lightly.

“In light of the huge funding cuts to schools, worsening terms and conditions, and unmanageable and exhausting workloads, teachers cannot be expected to go on without significant change.

“As a result of school funding cuts, class sizes in primary and secondary schools are increasing, subject choices are being cut, and children are getting less individual attention as teachers and support staff are made redundant or not replaced when they leave.

“There is already a teacher recruitment and retention crisis in our schools. Without significant change to the pay and working condition of teachers, this will simply deepen. We know that many parents share our concerns.

The commitment from government to ensure all schools become academies will result in decisions on pay and working conditions, including maternity/paternity rights and sick pay, being made at school level.

“There is absolutely no evidence that this sort of deregulation will lead to higher standards.

“There needs to be a guarantee of good standards for teachers’ terms and conditions across the board, in all schools.”