Independent school teachers at the country’s biggest multi-academy trust (MAT) have voted in favour of strike action in a dispute over pay.
The NEU teaching union said its members at 10 of United Learning’s 14 independent schools had backed industrial action.
The union said it is the first strike vote at independent schools at United Learning, which is one of the largest operators of fee-paying schools in the UK.
A spokesperson for United Learning said: “Across our 14 independent schools, we employ nearly 1,000 teachers, 400 of whom were eligible to vote in the 5 NEU ballots. Of these, 137 voted to take strike action. In the four schools which had individual ballots, no NEU member supported strike action.
“The NEU’s militant leadership openly despise independent schools but parents across our schools can be assured that, should they attempt to force strike action on their members, our schools will remain fully open to pupils.”
NEU strikes
The news comes after NEU research revealed that a third of independent school teachers have taken a second job to make ends meet.
As well as running 14 private schools, United Learning also runs 90 state schools, making it the country’s biggest MAT.
Some 67.5 per cent of members voted in favour of strike action, on a turnout of 58.5 per cent.
The union, which represents more than 400 teacher members across United Learning’s independent schools, is calling for a meeting involving the conciliation service Acas to try to resolve the dispute.
Independent schools
Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the NEU, said: “Our members have sent a clear message to United Learning that the current pay offer is unacceptable.
“There is still time for the trust to return to the negotiating table and discuss a settlement that will ensure members are fairly rewarded, and on par with their state school counterparts.”
NEU members at 10 United Learning independent schools voted in favour of strike action:
- AKS Lytham in Lancashire
- Ashford School in Kent
- Banstead Prep School in Surrey
- Embley School in Hampshire
- Godolphin School in Wiltshire
- Guildford High School in Surrey
- Rowan Prep School in Surrey
- The Royal School in Surrey
- St Ives School in Surrey
- Surbiton High School in Surrey
Members at four schools voted against taking strike action: Coworth Flexlands Prep School and Nursery (Surrey), Dunottar School (Surrey), Lincoln Minster School (Lincolnshire) and Tranby School (Yorkshire).
United Learning was in the news earlier this week after the Department for Education opposed its alternative teacher pensions plan, which the trust said was due to be launched in April.
Sir Jon Coles, CEO of United Learning, told Tes that the trust is considering all options in response and that the DfE’s attempt to block the scheme has “no legal basis”.
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