The NUT will not now be taking strike action on pay in the near future. The ballot result showed that there was insufficient support for the action amongst members. In such a situation it would have been bravado indeed to have proceeded with strikes at this point.

Just over 51% voted yes  to strike action on a 29% turnout. The Union believed that it was the right decision, given the gap between inflation and our pay award, to seek members views on whether to accept or fight against a pay cut. Notts NUT supported that decision. But as a democratic union, the NUT must respond to the mood of the membership. At this point it is at best unclear how members feel about resisting the pay imposition. Given the huge amount of material urging a yes vote both locally and nationally, the size of the no vote therefore has to be considered significant in this discussion.

We would encourage members to tell us their views on this, either by sending us a comment or report for the blog or posting a comment on the Notts NUT Facebook site.

When the credit crunch came, and the economy took a nosedive a big fear factor probably developed amongst teachers as well as other workers.

We have to take stock of this result, think about what we do next carefully. Members are clearly concerned about other issues like workload, Performance Management and the continuation of Key Stage 2 SATs. We should also remember that we face a three year pay deal with an interim STRB report coming in January. Members may feel differently as it sinks in that this years pay cut will be repeated for the next 2 years.

We certainly shouldn't throw in the towel on pay but we need to look carefully at how we marshal our forces for a renewed fight on this important issue for teachers in the future.

Our Acting General Secretary, Christine Blower, sums up the majority view of the National Executive in her letter below.

The national ballot has now closed and the National Executive has considered the outcome.

Whilst there was a majority YES vote it was quite slim and on that basis the Executive has taken the decision not to pursue strike action as part of the Fair Pay campaign at this time.

I would like to thank you for your engagement in the pay campaign. On reflection, some of you will be disappointed with the outcome, others will feel more in tune with it. Whether you voted or not and how is not now the issue.

We need to pull together to continue to work on all the campaigns in which the Union is engaged.

Our case for Fair Pay remains entirely justified. We will seek to work ever more closely with other unions through the TUC to achieve fair pay across the public sector.

We will also continue to press the case for a significant reduction in workload, including at a forthcoming meeting with Schools Minister, Jim Knight.

We look forward to working with NAHT to pursue Assessment for Learning which helps children and in opposition to the remaining SATs.

There is much to do to draw together campaigning in workload, SATs, class size, education funding and our deep seated commitment to a Good Local School for Every Child and Every Community. These are big tasks. We need an active and growing membership to address them. But as a man who has had considerable success in a recent ballot said:

“Yes we can”

Christine Blower

Acting General Secretary, NUT

05 November 2008