Striking teachers sing carols outside Chancellor Rachel Reeves' Leeds office
National Education Union general secretary Daniel Kebede joined a rally outside Rachel Reeves's constituency office in the Bramley area
Last updated 13th Dec 2024
Striking teachers have serenaded the Chancellor's staff with a Christmas carol as they told her it would take just £15 million to solve a pay dispute in sixth forms.
National Education Union (NEU) general secretary Daniel Kebede joined a rally outside Rachel Reeves's constituency office in the Bramley area of Leeds on Friday, where he said around 2,000 of his members were taking part in their fourth one-day strike across England.
The Government announced in July that teachers and leaders in England will receive a fully funded 5.5% pay rise this year.
Although sixth form colleges with academy status have been guaranteed funding to implement the pay award, this is not the case for those which have not become academies, the union said.
Mr Kebede said: "They're going into Christmas with a 0% pay award. This is easily rectified by government.
"We think it could have been an honest mistake. However they have not so far heeded our calls."
He said: "We are are hoping the Government will begin to listen because, of course, we have more days planned in January which we really want to avoid, and avoid it we must.
"This is a no-brainer. It's small beer to correct - about £15 million of funding is required.
"Of course, the young people who use sixth form colleges deserve their teachers to have that pay award because there is a deep and severe recruitment and retention crisis in that sector which will only get worse should pay decline further."
Around 60 teachers and supporters gathered outside Ms Reeves's office, which is above a Leeds tattoo parlour, to listen to speeches and sing a strikers' version of The 12 Days Of Christmas.
Ms Reeves did not appear to be present.
The rally marked the fourth one-day strike by staff at 32 non-academy sixth form colleges in England.
The Sixth Form Colleges Association (SFCA) is seeking a judicial review of the Government's decision to give funding to schools for the 5.5% pay rise for teachers but not to colleges.
A Department for Education spokesperson said: "Ensuring people have the skills they need for the future is crucial to this Government's number one mission to grow the economy.
"We recognise the vital role that further education, including sixth form colleges, play in this.
"Sixth form colleges are responsible for the setting of appropriate pay for their workforce and for managing their own industrial relations.
"The October Budget provided an additional £300 million revenue funding for further education to ensure young people are developing the skills this country needs.
"The Department will set out in due course how this funding will be distributed."