TEACHERS at the National Education Union (NEU) annual conference are debating today whether to launch a formal ballot on strike action over pay and funding.

Delegates will vote on whether union districts and branches should “immediately prepare” for a formal industrial action ballot.

An emergency motion due to be debated in private this morning attacks the government’s backing for a 2.8 per cent pay award for September, rejecting the rise as “inadequate and unfunded.”

The text adds that the Department for Education’s recommendation to the School Teacher Review Body (STRB) “represents another real-terms cut,” adding: “Austerity will be ended by deeds not words and a Labour government should invest in education.

“Schools are starved of funding and there are no ‘efficiencies’ to be made.

“A fully funded above-inflation pay rise for educators is necessary.”

The motion calls on the NEU executive to encourage districts, branches and school groups to “immediately” prepare for a formal ballot and mobilise for the June 7 People’s Assembly demonstration.

It also proposes the launch of a formal industrial action ballot if the final outcome of the STRB process “remains unacceptable” or if the government does not announce real-terms funding increases in the June spending review.

The majority of NEU teacher members in England recently told a preliminary ballot that they would be willing to take strike action to secure a fully funded and significantly higher pay award.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has said that any move towards industrial action “would be indefensible.”

People’s Assembly national secretary Ben Sellers blasted the government’s offer as a “double whammy that will exacerbate the cost-of-living crisis and school cuts.”

He said: ”Starmer and Reeves are patently not interested in ending austerity and that’s why we’ll be out on the streets demonstrating on June 7.”