Staff at the NASUWT teaching union are to stage three one-day strikes, starting tomorrow, in a dispute over pay and pensions.

The strikes will involve around 140 staff, all GMB members, based at offices across the country, but mostly at NASUWT headquarters in Rednal, Birmingham.

GMB regional organiser David Warwick said the NASUWT had refused to enter into discussions over pay and pensions, including on changes to a pension scheme which means employees now have to work 45 years instead of 40 to receive a full pension.

“We are hoping this action will make the employer recognise the strength of feeling of their staff as to what is happening, and do something about it,” he said.

While the NASUWT is calling for a pay rise for teachers which is “substantially above inflation,” it has only offered its own staff a pay rise equivalent to RPI inflation, currently at 3.1 per cent.

Strikes will also take place on 5 November and 9 November.

NASUWT ‘disappointed’ at strike action

An NASUWT spokesman said employees had been guaranteed a “defined benefits pensions scheme” and a pay award equivalent to RPI over the next three years, and that it was “disappointing” that the GMB had rejected its offer.

“The NASUWT apologises for any inconvenience the GMB’s action may cause,” he said. “We will make every effort to minimise any disruption caused by the GMB strike action, to keep NASUWT sites open and to maintain its service to members.”

Last month, staff at another teaching union, the NEU, managed to resolve differences with their employer over job cuts and changes to contracts, averting planned strike action.

Hundreds of staff at the NEU teaching union had been set to walk out on 10 September over issues which arose following the merger of the NUT and the ATL unions to form the NEU last year.