Teachers strikes 2023 LIVE: Industrial action forces schools to close as train & bus walk-outs grind Britain to a halt
INDUSTRIAL action has halted the nation's education system as a slew of, school, train and bus strikes plunged Britain into chaos today.
Teachers across England and Wales staged the largest walkout seen in Britain for over a decade at more than 23,000 schools today as they protest wages and working conditions.
And the walk-outs took place against a backdrop of wider strikes across the country on a day dubbed "walkout Wednesday".
Some 500,000 workers have downed tools, with teachers, civil servants, train drivers, security guards, bus drivers and airport staff among the masses.
And today's schools action marks the first of seven National Education Union (NEU) strikes, which will take place throughout February and March.
Read our school closures blog below for the latest...
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Our teacher strikes blog has now closed.
In the meantime, why not check out when the next strikes will be taking place here.
What should schools do during strike action?
Headteachers are urged to "take all reasonable steps" to keep classrooms open, even with skeleton staff.
If they can't, kids should be given tasks to complete at home or links to video lessons wherever possible.
It is up to individual schools whether they decide to check in with students, or parents, throughout the day.
If a pupil is considered vulnerable or behind their peers, they should be able to go to school for supervised learning during strikes.
Will you get paid for taking time off work to look after your kids?
In both dependant and parental leave cases you won't be paid for your time off, unless your contract of employment says so.
You may be able to negotiate taking holiday with your employer if you'd still like to get paid and are entitled to paid holiday, but this will be at their discretion.
Crucially, you don’t have to make up the missed time later on.
A reasonable boss will be flexible, particularly if you've given them plenty of notice and there's nothing you can do about strikes.
For more advice, visit the website.
Can you take time off work if your child's school is closed due to strikes?
In short, yes. You are entitled to take reasonable time off work to deal with an unexpected problem or emergency.
This is also called "dependant leave", according to Citizens Advice.
Your employer can't refuse dependant leave if you have no other option and you won't face disciplinary action or lose your job.
If your child is under the age of 18, then you also have other rights to time off known as "parental leave" - but you must have worked for your employer for at least a year.
You can take up to 18 weeks off for parental leave before your child turns 18, but your employer can limit this to four weeks off per year.
Do you get paid while on strike?
As teachers and workers from various sectors take industrial action this year, we take a look at how strikes will affect members pay.
If you take industrial action, it is likely that you will be in breach of contract, which means that the employer doesn’t have to pay you.
In rare cases, the employer can take legal action against you for the breach.
More strikes set to come as thousands of ambulance workers take action
More strikes are set to take place this month as ambulance workers will also walk out once more next Friday.
On February 10, members of Unison across London, Yorkshire, the South West, North East, and North West emergency services will stage a walkout.
This comes as ambulance workers are facing a major dispute with health ministers over pay.
Union chiefs want an inflation busting salary hike for their members.
But the government says this isn’t affordable and would risk fanning the flames of inflation.
Unison Head of Health Sara Gorton said: “Ministers must stop fobbing the public off with promises of a better NHS, while not lifting a finger to solve the staffing emergency staring them in the face.
“The Government must stop playing games. Rishi Sunak wants the public to believe ministers are doing all they can to resolve the dispute. They’re not.
“There are no pay talks, and the Prime Minister must stop trying to hoodwink the public. It’s time for some honesty. Ministers are doing precisely nothing to end the dispute.”
When is the next teacher strike?
Following today's walkouts, teachers are expecting to strike several more times in the coming weeks.
Here's a look at the upcoming strike dates.
- February 2: members of the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) and AHDS unions in Dundee and Argyll and Bute will be striking
- February 14: NEU teachers will strike again in Wales
- February 21: Three unions are striking for half a day in Northern Ireland
- February 28: NEU teachers in the north, north-west, and Yorkshire and Humber regions will strike
Mum shares harrowing photo of her son, 12, having anxiety attack over teacher strikes
A mum-of-three has slammed today's teacher walkouts, claiming the school strikes have triggered her eldest son back to the mental toll of lockdown.
Becky Bohan, 43, shared a harrowing photo of her son curled up on the ground having an anxiety attack following today's strikes.
In the photo, her eldest son can be seen cradled in a blanket lying on the floor of their home.
Speaking on the strikes, Becky said: "I think the main problem here is that there’s no conversation.
“I wholeheartedly support what they're doing, but it needs to be more organised.
“I agree the funding and teaching conditions need to be increased as if they’re not in a good place, then neither are my kids.
“My younger children have been left confused as half of their school is in and others aren’t, which they don’t think is fair.
“If I had all the kids home, it’d be fine, but as I’ve got two in school and one at home, it’s getting very confusing – especially as the unions don’t all strike on the same day.
''All of this trauma is resurfacing due to the lack of routine.''
Read more here.
Education Secretary Gillian Keegan ‘disappointed that it has come to this’
During an interview with Times Radio this morning, Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said she felt ”disappointed” amid today’s mass strike action.
She said: “I am disappointed that it has come to this, that the unions have made this decision.
“It is not a last resort. We are still in discussions. Obviously there is a lot of strike action today but this strike did not need to go ahead.”
Survey suggests majority of schools affected by teacher strikes
A snapshot survey conducted by has found the majority of schools have been affected by today’s mass strike action.
According to the survey, out of 948 headteachers and principals in England and Wales, mostly in secondary schools, 97% (920) reported that teachers were on strike.
In 35% (330) more than half of teachers took part in the industrial action.
Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: “The overwhelming feeling among school and college leaders and teachers today will be one of sadness that we have reached a point at which strike action has been taken as a last resort against a government that will not listen.
“This has clearly been a difficult day for everyone concerned, but the stark truth is that the erosion of teacher pay and conditions over the past decade, and resulting teacher shortages, mean every day in education is a difficult one.
''We implore the government to avert further industrial action by improving pay and conditions and addressing the teacher recruitment and retention crisis.”
More strikes to hit Britain’s schools in February and March
Six more strikes will take place throughout February and March, as per the National Education Union’s plans.
Strikes on February 14 and 28, and March 1 and 2 will follow tomorrow’s industrial action.
Finally, nationwide walkouts in England and Wales will take place on March 15 and 16 if a pay deal has not been met.
National Education Union calls for help 'to stop the crisis in education'
The National Education Union has today reached out to the public and asked for their help ''to stop the crisis in education.''
Taking to Twitter, the union explained: ''Today 300,000 teachers took a stand to #SaveOurSchools. Now we need we need to make our voices heard by politicians.''
They are calling for supporters to send emails to their local MP following today's mass strikes.
'Every worker needs a pay rise', says Mick Lynch
The general secretary of the RMT has today told teachers "we are the working class, and we are back".
Speaking at a rally in Westminster this afternoon, Mick Lynch said: ''We will not be divided on the basis of who we work for.
"We are here, demanding change... and we are going to win for our people on our terms."
In pictures: Strike action takes place in Manchester
Over a thousand people with placards have marched through the city of Manchester today.
Teachers, train drivers, and civil servants were among those striking on the picket lines.
National Education Union say they have 'put the education secretary on notice'
Dr Mary Bousted and Kevin Courtney, Joint General Secretary of the National Education Union, have today said they have ''put the education secretary on notice''.
They explained: "Today, we put the education secretary on notice.
"She has until our next strike day for England, 28 February, to change her stance. NEU members do not want to go on strike again.
''They want constructive talks that deal directly with the long-standing concerns they experience in their schools and colleges every day.
"However, be in no doubt that our members will do whatever it takes to stand up for education, including further strike action, if Gillian Keegan still fails to step up with concrete and meaningful proposals."
Union issues dire ultimatum over teacher strikes
Union bosses have today warned of further teacher strikes unless the Department for Education agrees to pay terms.
The National Education Union warned school staff will do ";whatever it takes" to achieve an inflation busting salary hike.
And this could mean strike action could ''into the summer term too'' unless the Education Secretary agrees to a sector-wide pay rise by the end of the month.
How long do employees strike for?
With various sectors striking in 2023, we take a look at how long employees can carry out industrial action.
Workers have 12 weeks to strike.
In this period, workers are protected from dismissal as long as they have followed the correct guidance on how to properly organise a strike.
Teachers, civil servants, train drivers, security guards, bus drivers and airport staff went on strike in February 2023 in the biggest day of industrial action for more than a decade.
Parent says ‘under 24 hours’ strikes notice ‘is shocking’
Dad Jonathan Wilkie, whose child attends Glade Hill Primary in Nottingham, said: “I found out at 3pm [yesterday] that my youngest is off school due to teacher strikes. Handy.
“I admire teachers as coaches for the future and they deserve to be paid fairly, but telling us with less than 24 hours notice is shocking.
“Booking a childminder requires payment and if you don’t use it, you lose it.”
Westminster schools will contact parents and carers regarding strike action
Westminster City Council has today confirmed schools in the area will contact parents and carers to inform them of the provisions in place on strike days, and whether schools need to close.
Some schools in Westminster will remain open whilst others will close partially or completely – this will depend on the numbers of staff striking in each school.
Thousands of teachers gather as they march to Westminster
Thousands of education professionals gathered in London today before marching to a rally in Westminster.
Teachers chanted “Hey, hey, Sunak, ooh ahh, I want to know if you’ll fund my school” to the tune of “Hey! Baby”.
They also carried signs demanding the Government “pay up”.
Among those marching were Wimbledon primary school teachers Jess Olivares, 26, and Laura Mears, 29.
Ms Olivares said: “We’re here today because change really needs to happen, we need more funding in our schools. This is about our children and the future of our children.”
She said that children with special education needs were being affected by a lack of funding for schools.
“There are children with special education needs that don’t have the provision in place that they deserve to have.”
Ms Mears added: “There are children who can’t get the support that they need because there isn’t the funding to get them assessed.”
National Education Union calling for public support
The National Education Union is today calling for members of the public to pledge their support to those taking strike action.
The Union added: ”We do not want to go on strike – we want to be in the classroom, teaching and supporting our amazing children and young people.
”But there is a crisis of recruitment and retention within the school system, a decade of falling pay is a key reason for this and this needs to be addressed by the Government.”
Schools have to be ‘creative’ to stay open, says charity
Steve Chalke, founder of the Oasis Charitable Trust, which has 52 schools and educates more than 31,000 pupils, said schools have had to be “creative” to stay open.
He said: “The role of a school is not just to sit a child at a desk in a classroom.
“The role of a school is to provide that child with social and emotional content and support.
“And so if you’ve got kids in and they are playing football, or they are watching a film or they are watching a play, or they are doing some group games and activities, or they are just sat there with some youth workers, or they are just sat in an extended lunch, all of those things are good and important.”