European Trade Union Committee for Education

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ETUCE reconfirms its strong solidarity with the teachers, academics, support staff, and other education personnel participating in today's industrial action in opposition to the UK government's draft legislation on minimum service.

In the current context of multifaceted crises millions of teachers’, academics’ and other education personnel’s working conditions have been already put at high risk. Teachers, academics, and other education personnel in the UK have been already confronted with a number of important challenges, including large class sizes, limited resources, increasing workloads, and the teacher shortage. Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought new challenges, such as the need to adapt to online and hybrid learning environments, as well as increased mental health concerns for students and teachers.

The ongoing funding crisis in the education sector has resulted in cuts to school budgets, making it difficult for teachers to provide quality education to their students. These challenges have put a strain on the education system and highlight the need for increased support and financial resources for teachers suffering from long - term and high workload affecting their health.

ETUCE reiterates that the UK government should move to increase its investment in the education sector for better pay, pension and working conditions of teachers, academics, and other education personnel, instead of limiting their rights. Collective bargaining, including the right to strike, is the main tool with which teachers, academics, support staff, and other education personnel can claim fairer salaries and improve their working conditions.

It is critical to achieve a fair settlement to legitimate pay grievances instead of further introducing constraints on the right to strike.

Today, on the biggest day of industrial action, millions of teachers, academics, and other education personnel across Europe will be standing with the teachers, academics, support staff, and other education personnel in the UK and demand for the withdrawal of this anti-union bill that adds an extra layer of complexity on top of the already existing issues in the education sector.