UK teachers union to hold nationwide strike

Members of the National Union of Teachers (NUT) have geared up to strike across England and Wales in a row over pay, pensions and work conditions.

The NUT, which represents teachers across England and Wales, said Friday that the industrial action will be launched on March 26, 2014.

The announcement follows accusations that Michael Gove, the education secretary, persistently refuses to address member complaints.

“Michael Gove’s persistent refusals to address our ongoing dispute over pay, pensions and conditions of service, is unnecessary and deeply damaging,” said Christine Blower, General Secretary of the NUT.

“As a result, thousands of good, experienced teachers are leaving or considering leaving the job and a teacher shortage crisis is looming with two in five teachers leaving the profession in their first five years,” she added.

This is while she did not rule out the possibility of holding off the strike.

“The strike action can of course be called off. For this to happen, the Secretary of State needs to give reassurances that he will not go ahead with any changes which worsen teachers’ working conditions,” Blower concluded.

Teachers’ unions have held a series of strikes across England and Wales over roughly three years.

In October last year, 3,500 public schools across the UK were suspended due to a teachers strike against cuts in salaries, pensions and welfare.