The NEU Signals a June Strike Ballot and Challenges Large MATs over Workload

Welcome to The Daily School Leaders Briefing, your essential update for UK school leaders. Today's episode focuses on key developments from the NEU teaching union's annual conference, including updated timelines for potential industrial action and analysis targeting workload and retention in Multi-Academy Trusts (MATs).

Key Briefings:

1. Potential June Strike Ballot Over Teacher Pay: We report on NEU General Secretary Daniel Kebede's indication that a formal strike ballot could launch as soon as June, potentially leading to industrial action in the autumn term. Understand the triggers for this ballot, linked to the upcoming STRB pay recommendation and the June Spending Review's funding announcement. Learn about the union's confidence in meeting the 50% turnout threshold, despite lower indicative ballot participation, and the significant conference motion to consider disengaging from the STRB process if demands aren't met. Analyse the immediate implications for school leaders regarding intensified contingency planning for strikes and ongoing budget uncertainty. Keywords: NEU strike ballot, teacher pay 2025-26, STRB report, Daniel Kebede, autumn term strikes, school funding, June Spending Review, STRB process, teacher industrial action.  

   
   

2. NEU Claims on MAT Workload and Teacher Retention: Delve into the NEU's analysis claiming large Multi-Academy Trusts (those with 21+ schools) are "havens for higher workload and poorer work-life balance". Explore the data presented showing higher teacher turnover rates (both moving school and leaving the profession) in large MATs compared to LA-maintained schools for 2022-23. Hear Daniel Kebede challenge the "myth" of academy flexibility being more attractive and call for academies to adopt national pay and conditions. We also cover important caveats mentioned in the report, including data limitations (location/intake not factored), the context of sponsored academies, and counterarguments from the Confederation of School Trusts (CST) regarding professional development opportunities [from retrieved file content]. Analyse the implications for MAT leadership, the ongoing debate around academy structures vs LA control, and the context of the upcoming Bill creating a pay "floor but no ceiling". Keywords: NEU MAT analysis, teacher retention MATs, teacher workload academies, Daniel Kebede, Multi-Academy Trusts UK, LA maintained schools comparison, national pay and conditions teachers, Confederation of School Trusts CST, Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill.  

   
   

Audience: This briefing provides critical, timely information for Headteachers, Senior Leadership Teams (SLT), MAT CEOs and leaders, School Business Managers (SBMs), HR Managers, and Governors across all school types in the UK.