A RALLYING call for unity in the fightback against increasingly draconian Tory attacks on the public sector was delivered at a pre-rally meeting before Saturday’s Durham Miners’ Gala.

Daniel Kebede, who is to take over as general secretary of Britain’s biggest teachers’ union, the National Education Union (NEU), told the meeting organised by the Institute for Employment Rights on Friday night that unless the government reaches a settlement with the education sector, September will see what is effectively a general strike by teaching unions.

Four education unions, the NEU, NASUWT, NAHT and ASCL, with a collective membership of more than 800,000, are balloting on industrial action, which is planned for September.

“This week I have been called ‘militant’ because I am saying there is going to be a general strike in education in autumn,” Mr Kebede said. “But what we want is a real general strike.”

He said teachers who were on strike from Wednesday to Thursday would be celebrating at the Durham Gala.

“If you see NEU members, give them a pat on the back,” he told the meeting. “This dispute is being led by NEU representatives, young women teachers, up and down the country. They are to be congratulated and encouraged.”

He said he was confident the current NEU ballot would return another vote for strike action in September.

“Half a million members voted last time and we got through the [government’s] threshold,” Mr Kebede said. "I am confident that in September we will do it again.”