A union has warned that every school in Wales could close if another mass teacher strike over pensions goes ahead.
Dr Philip Dixon, director of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers Cymru said the potential strikes in Wales could close schools if Westminister refused to negotiate.
One of the unions preparing to ballot their members is education union UCAC. Wales' own teacher, head-teacher and lecturer union will be asking education professionals to decide whether to act to defend their pensions, a decision which could culminate in a mass strike.
Elaine Edwards, UCAC general secretary said, “It's clear the coalition government in London is determined to attack public sector pensions. These plans represent a threat not only to individual employees' rights, but also to the public services on which we all rely.”
She said the union was giving its members the opportunity to send a "clear message" to the government by balloting on industrial action and added it was "not a step we have taken lightly. Feelings within the union are running very high on this issue.”
Concerns have been expressed over the cost of the potential strikes to parents of children at the affected schools.
A mother of a pupil at Llanishen High School, who did not want to be named, said: "Both my partner and I work so one of us will have to take a day off to look after our children. Childcare isn't really an option as it has become so expensive and takes so long to arrange. I actually think it's quite selfish of teachers to strike."
Fears over the looming ballot have coincided with research claiming parents could be better off staying at home rather than paying for childcare. A study by Aviva insurance found some working mothers could be losing almost £100 every month if they opt to pay for childcare while they work. The family finances report used existing data to assess the financial impact of childcare on working parents.
But it is not only parents who will feel the strain if the strikes go ahead.
Iestyn Davies, head of external affairs at the federation for small business, Wales, said: "We are calling for both sides to talk and avoid taking action. Industrial action does not benefit employees or employers and small businesses get caught in the crossfire. We don't think striking is a good example to set to young people."
General secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) Brian Lightman defended the move to ballot education professionals. He said:
“Pensions have already been undermined by stealth changes from the Treasury. The government must understand just how angry and worried teachers and school staff are about this. Ministers have the option of avoiding strike action by negotiating in good faith with teachers to agree a compromise. We know that good teachers, support staff and leaders will leave the profession early if their pension benefits are cut, and it will become more difficult to recruit high quality people. The bottom line is the standard of education will suffer because of damage to public sector pensions and the resulting exodus of staff from schools and colleges.”