SCHOOLS in Ryedale could face strikes into the autumn term after members of the largest education union in the UK overwhelmingly rejected the Government’s pay offer.

Teachers in England will strike on April 27 and May 2 after 98 per cent of National Education Union (NEU) teacher members, who responded in a consultative ballot, voted to turn down the deal.

Schools could face further teacher walkouts in the summer term and into the next school year amid the ongoing dispute over pay, NEU bosses have warned.

Previous strikes in March saw schools across Ryedale close or partially close as a result of walkouts by union members.

Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said the teaching union’s rejection of the offer will result in “more disruption for children and less money for teachers”, adding that it is “extremely disappointing”.

Teachers waved flags, stood and applauded, and shouted “Come on, Gill, pay the bill” when the result of the ballot was announced at the NEU’s annual conference in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, on Monday.

Last week, Gillian Keegan suggested that teachers could miss out on an increased pay deal this year if they rejected the offer.

Education Secretary 'will need to come back to negotiating table'

Mary Bousted and Kevin Courtney, joint general secretaries of the NEU, said: “This resounding rejection of the Government’s offer should leave Gillian Keegan in no doubt that she will need to come back to the negotiating table with a much better proposal.

“The offer shows an astounding lack of judgment and understanding of the desperate situation in the education system.

“We have today written to the Education Secretary informing her of the next two days of strike action on April 27 and May 2 that NEU teacher members in England will now be taking.

“These strikes are more than three weeks away - Gillian Keegan can avoid them.”

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Members of the NASUWT teaching union, the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) and the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) are also being asked for feedback on the Government’s offer.

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the NAHT, said last week that industrial action by school leaders will be “necessary” if NAHT members decide to reject the Government’s “inadequate” pay offer.

In January, a ballot of NAHT members failed to meet the mandatory 50 per cent turnout threshold required for strike action.

But the NAHT has said it could move to a second formal industrial action ballot if its members turn down the Government’s pay offer.

In addition to the teacher strikes, passport Office workers have begun a five-week strike in a dispute over jobs, pay, pensions and conditions as a union warned it could cause delays for those looking to renew their passports.

More than 1,000 members of the Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) at eight sites are walking out in an escalation of the long-running row.