Teachers in the United Kingdom have overwhelmingly approved a strike action on June 30, according to the Teacher Solidarity website. Teachers in England and Wales are facing massive cuts to their pension entitlement. Under the new plan, their pension contributions may rise by more than 50%, while the retirement age may rise to 68. The National Union of Teachers (NUT) voted 92% in favor of the strike, and the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) voted 83% in favor. They will be joined on the picket line by civil servants in the PCS union and the university and higher education union UCU. Other public sector unions are also considering strikes, including the largest public sector union UNISON, which is planning a strike action for the autumn.
Meanwhile, French teachers are planning to go on strike in September. The government plans to replace only half the teachers who retire this summer, resulting in a cut of 16,000 jobs.
