The National Union of Teachers voted 92 per cent in favour of a strike and 83 per cent of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers did the same.
NUT general secretary Christine Blower said the Government’s “disgraceful” attack on pensions had convinced her members there was no alternative. The union is still negotiating, though, and she added: “It is not too late for common sense to prevail and for these unnecessary changes to be stopped.”
The NUT has a history of industrial action to protect its members but the ATL, traditionally a more conservative union, has never gone on strike in 127 years. The ATL last took action in 1979, when it organised an afternoon of branch meetings across the country.
Mary Bousted, general secretary of the ATL, said she had never known her members so angry. “Teachers’ pensions – an average of £10,000 a year – are a modest return for a lifetime of teaching the nation’s children.” She added that ATL members at independent schools would also take action.
Under new rules teachers will pay more to get less – and work longer for the privilege. They will have to cough up 9.8 per cent of their pay in contributions and work until 68 rather than the current retirement age of 66.
