All UK public schools could be at risk of being shut down by “unprecedented” coordinated strikes involving all four major teaching unions as part of an ongoing wage dispute between them with the government. Union leaders said the latest move serves as a reminder that negotiations over wages and school funding need to resume.

Patrick Roach, general secretary of NASUWT The importance of the four union secretaries being linked in this way should not be underestimated. It was a veritable demonstration of unity on our part and determination on the part of our members, after weeks, if not months, of obstruction from the secretary of state (Gillian Keegan).”

He said Keegan was “going to the end” when he accused her of refusing to meet union leaders. He added: “Her rush to reach an agreement has been severely counterproductive and we are here today because it has encouraged not only us but also our members. ratings and profiles for classroom teachers and school leaders who will now be voting for industrial action.”

Geoff Barton, general secretary of Association of School and College Leaders described previous salary negotiations as “strange and surreal”. “The nation’s parents are watching and saying, why isn’t the government addressing this? This is a government that wants education on the cheap. They don’t want to pay teachers.”

If the votes are held by four associations, including National Education Union and the National Association of Principals, crossed the legal threshold, after which the leaders said they would coordinate action this fall semester.

Kevin Courtney, general secretary of the NEU, said: “I think with our four associations you will find that every public school in the UK will be affected by the dispute and that will cost about 300-400,000 teachers members will participate. in action.”

In March, the government offered teachers a one-time £1,000 payment alongside an average wage increase of 4.5 per cent next year following negotiations. But members of the four unions turned down offers of pay with substantial disparities.

Paul Whiteman, who seamThe general secretary said “enough”. He added: “When it comes to school funding, the government has tried to mislead the public with misleading numbers and deceptive statistics, but it doesn’t matter if you’re asked to learn math. until the age of 18 or at the age of 18. At 180, its money doesn’t add up.”

The NEU said on Monday that it would begin voting to allow an extension of the strike until the end of the year. The NEU has so far organized five days of national and regional strikes in the UK, with a sixth strike scheduled for Tuesday (May 2).