In an emergency meeting of UCAC’s National Council in Aberystwyth today, it was decided not to call on members to take strike action on 26 March.
Elaine Edwards, UCAC’s General Secretary said “Since announcing our intention to strike, the Westminster Government has taken a number of significant, constructive steps.
“In light of these positive developments, UCAC has decided to continue to press for change and to resolve our dispute through negotiation and campaigning.
“The campaign is far from being over. However, as a union we’ve taken the decision that in the current circumstances, negotiation, rather than industrial action, gives us the best chance of success.”
Since UCAC announced its intention to strike, the Secretary of State for Education, Michael Gove, has agreed to an intensive programme of weekly talks with all education unions to discuss matters of concern such as workload, the teachers’ pay system and teachers’ pensions.
In addition to these meetings, the Department for Education has agreed to a series of meetings specifically with UCAC, the NUT and the NASUWT – the unions which are in dispute with the Secretary of State.
These meetings will continue on a weekly basis until Easter and beyond.
