Keegan calls on teaching union to enter talks instead of staging strikes

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. In a letter to the NEU’s general secretaries on Tuesday, Ms Keegan said: “The NEU’s current position to strike rather than talk, if it continues, will mean waiting for the STRB process to conclude, which will prolong uncertainty for teachers, miss an opportunity to discuss reforms to teacher conditions and risk a narrower settlement.” Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the NEU, said: “The NEU regrets the inconvenience caused to parents, children and young people by strike action. “Gillian Keegan’s digging in of heels, and refusal to engage through Acas, has meant that England yet again lags behind other countries.” On Friday, the NEU called off planned strike action by teachers in Wales after the Welsh Government proposed a revised pay offer. In a letter to Ms Keegan, Dr Bousted and Kevin Courtney, joint general secretaries of the NEU, said: “The Department for Education’s attitude towards talks is not only unusual but counterproductive. “If the Prime Minister and Chancellor really have invested you with the ability to enter serious negotiations and make new offers on pay for both this year and next, then there should be no need for such a stumbling block.” Following a meeting with the Education Secretary on Tuesday, Geoff Barton, general secretary of ASCL, said: “Today’s discussion was helpful and the Secretary of State has listened to our view that progress will only be made by finding a way to reconvene talks with all the education unions collectively.