Following the National Employers’ decision to reaffirm the pay offer for 2023/24 as full and final, UNISON did not consult its members on the pay offer and moved straight to a formal ballot for industrial action, which opened on 23 May and closes on 4 July. UNISON will be balloting on a disaggregated basis, which means strike action could be taken at each individual employer / school where a turn-out of over 50% is secured (if members vote in favour of strike action). If UNISON meets the threshold for lawful industrial action to take place, its timetable means strike action may not start until September for staff based in school settings. GMB rejected the pay offer by 64% to 36% and said it “plans to move to industrial action ballots in some areas.” Unite rejected the pay offer by 75% to 25% and plans to conduct a formal ballot for industrial action, which is expected to run from late May to early July.
Despite the prospect of a very lengthy delay until this year’s pay rounds are settled, the National Employers have advised very strongly against imposing any pay offer before the collective bargaining process has concluded. This means that once again, schools, MATs, ourselves and the staff members affected by this stalemate are faced with undoubted difficulties when it comes to budgeting, backdating and dealing with the cost of living rise. We sincerely hope that an agreement can be reached in the weeks ahead.