UCAC calls action as Welsh teachers vote for strikes

Teachers in UCAC, the Welsh teaching union, have voted overwhelmingly for strikes over pay. In a recent ballot they backed discontinuous strikes by 84 percent and action short of a strike by 91 percent.

UCAC’s national executive committee met today, Wednesday, and decided to start action short of a strike from 22 October.

The teachers are fighting attempts by Tory education secretary Michael Gove to impose regional pay, performance-related pay and a pay freeze.

The executive noted that the NUT and NASUWT teaching unions are also taking action short of a strike. UCAC’s leadership confirmed that it would not strike “for the time being”.

UCAC general secretary Elaine Edwards said Gove “needs to bear in mind that we’ve now got the right to strike if we feel we need to”.

The union says it will reassess its action after the School Teachers’ Review Body makes recommendations on teachers’ pay at the end of this month.