Two unions will run formal ballots to ask their members to vote on industrial action over pay.
Image source, Getty ImagesTeachers are one step closer to going on strike after rejecting a 5% pay rise offer.
The largest union for England and Wales, the NEU, said 86% of its members who responded to an initial ballot said they were willing to strike.
A smaller union, NASUWT, has also launched a formal strike ballot.
Both unions have previously said the government’s offer failed to recognise the pressure on teachers during the cost-of-living crisis.
The starting salary for teachers in England is due to rise to £30,000 a year by September 2023, as part of a promise that was made during the 2019 election but got delayed by the pandemic.
The pay of more experienced teachers in England – who make up most of the workforce – has seen the biggest squeeze over the past decade.
Before the latest rises in energy and food costs, the pay of experienced teachers fell by 8% in real terms between 2007 and 2021, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies.
The Department for Education has not yet responded to a request for comment.
Education is one of many sectors grappling with action over pay. Railway workers and Royal Mail staff are among those walking out.