Why are teachers going on strike?

TEACHERS across the UK are striking in March 2023 in a dispute over pay.

Here, we look at who will be affected and why they are taking industrial action.

Are teachers going on strike?

It was announced in February 2023 that strikes are planned nationally, with seven dates for industrial action revealed.

The National Education Union (NEU) is the UK's largest education union, and says the strike will affect 23,400 schools in England and Wales.

The 2023 dates are as follows:

• March 15 and 16: Two-day strike of all schools in England and Wales

Why are teachers going on strike?

The disagreement all stems from teacher's pay.

The Teachers' Union, NASUWT, is calling for a fully-funded 12% pay award for 2022/23, stating that with inflation above 11%, the current offer is nothing more than a pay-cut.

Most state-school teachers in England and Wales have received a 5% pay increase this year.

Teachers in Northern Ireland have been offered a 3.2% pay increase over the last two years.

Where are teacher strikes taking place?

Sixteen days of strike action was initially agreed for the start of 2023, and more could follow.

The strikes announced in England and Wales will affect around 23,400 schools.

Teachers in Northern Ireland walked out on Tuesday, February 21, 2023.

And rolling strikes will take place in Scotland between March 13 and April 21.

Will schools close if teachers go on strike?

The decisions will rest with the following:

• Scotland: local councils decide.
• England: head teachers decide, no minimum staffing rules.
• Wales: head teachers decide in consultation with local authorities.

Parents and guardians are entitled to time off if normal arrangements are broken, but it would be up to the employer if they would pay for this time off.

How much do teachers get paid?

New qualified teachers (NQT) start with a pay scale ranging from £28,000 to £34,502 depending on location.

The Scottish equivalent of an NQT is a probationer, who, unlike an NQT, is initially employed on a probationary contract.

The current probationer's salary is £27,498.

In Northern Ireland, the minimum salary on the main pay scale is £24,137.

The pay scales for qualified teachers are split into main and upper pay ranges, which differ between countries across the UK:

• England (excluding London) and Wales - £28,000 to £38,810
• London - £29,344 to £40,083 (fringes), £32,407 to £43,193 (outer), £34,502 to £44,756 (inner)
• Scotland - £33,729 to £42,336
• Northern Ireland - £24,137 to £41,094

The highest teaching salaries across the UK are paid to headteachers:

• England (excluding London) and Wales - £50,122 to £123,057
• London - £51,347 to £131,353
• Scotland - £52,350 to £99,609
• Northern Ireland - £47,381 to £117,497