Thousands of teachers in England and Wales could be set to walk off job as 16-day wave of strikes kicks off in Scotland

THOUSANDS of teachers in England and Wales could walk out at the end of the month.

The wave of industrial action which has swept across the UK looks set to hit schools in just weeks unless there is a breakthrough to bitter disputes over pay, jobs and conditions.

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Kids in Scotland are already missing lessons thanks to 16 days of rolling strike action, beginning today.

But pupils across England and Wales could be next in line.

The National Education Union (NEU) and school leaders union NAHT is preparing to announce the result of ballots for strikes over pay later today.

More than 300,000 teachers and support staff were asked to vote in a dispute over pay.

The union must give two weeks’ notice, meaning walkouts could begin as soon as January 30.

A ballot of members of the NASUWT teachers union last week failed to reach the 50 per cent turnout threshold, although nine in 10 of those who did vote backed strikes.

If the strikes go ahead, schools could be made to send all but the most vulnerable pupils home.

It would more or less shut mainstream education down, akin to during the pandemic lockdowns, and cripple the economy.

Today marks day one of more than two weeks of rolling strike action by members of the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) union.

Teachers in two of Scotland’s 32 local authority areas walking out each day until February 6.

The first two councils affected are Glasgow, where all schools are closed on Monday, and East Lothian where they are shut to all pupils apart from those taking preliminary exams that day.

The action is going ahead after talks on Thursday involving the Scottish Government, local authority leaders and teaching unions failed to resolve the issue.

Members of the Association of Headteachers and Deputes in Scotland (AHDS) union are also beginning 16 days of rolling strikes from Monday, mirroring the EIS action.

EIS members have previously taken three days of strike action, one in November and two in January, while members of other teaching unions also walked out on those days in January and on two dates in December.

Unions have rejected a pay offer which would see most teachers receive a 5 per cent wage rise, although the lowest earners would get an increase of 6.85 per cent.

Scotland’s Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville has insisted the 10 per cent teachers are demanding is unaffordable.

The EIS on Friday announced a further 22 days of strike action, starting at the end of February, in an escalation of the dispute.

STRIKE CHAOS

The walkouts come amid a wave of industrial action across various sectors.

Nurses across England will walk out on Wednesday and Thursday this week, while GMB leaders are meeting today to discuss further ambulance worker strikes.

Any decision is likely to be announced later in the week.

Elsewhere, Environment Agency members are striking on Wednesday in a row over pay, and talks will continue between rail unions and train operators in a fresh attempt to resolve the long-running row which has led to a series of strikes since last summer.

Both sides say they are working towards a revised offer.

The Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) is pressing ahead with a strike on February 1 by 100,000 civil servants which will have an impact on governments, driving test centres, museums, ports and airports.

Legal advisers and associates in more than 80 courts across England and Wales are also to take further strike action on January 21 and 28.