Education trade union membership drops 10 per cent in a year
According to government statistics, the proportion of education professionals who are in a trade union dropped by 155,000 last year, which is nearly 10 per cent.
For the first time in recent history, this takes the proportion of UK education employees with union membership to less than 50 per cent.
The government's annual trade union membership statistics shows that in 2016 1,469,000 people working in education belonged to a union, compared to 1,624,000 the previous year. This represents a 155,000 drop in members.
However, education still remains the most unionised sector in the British economy.
Read moreLatest News
23/04/2026 - 10:13
A survey of 1,105 teachers reveals many senior leaders reporting cuts to teaching assistants (71%), support staff (49%) and teaching staff (30%).
23/04/2026 - 09:30
A report from the Digital Poverty Alliance show that while digital tools are now embedded across school routines, access and usability remain deeply uneven.
22/04/2026 - 09:28
School food improvement programme Nourish is set to launch in Cumberland in 2026, working with schools to improve the quality and culture of food throughout the school day
21/04/2026 - 07:18
The government has announced a series of new measures aimed at strengthening freedom of speech and academic freedom across universities
20/04/2026 - 11:50
A creative careers programme which aims to inspire young people to explore careers across the creative industries has reached 210,000 young people since 2023.
