Teachers One Day Walkout Strike Planned For Autumn

Teachers To Stage National Walkout
File photo dated 28/03/12 of demonstrators against the Government's controversial public sector pension reforms as teachers are to stage a series of strikes in the summer, two unions have announced
File photo dated 28/03/12 of demonstrators against the Government's controversial public sector pension reforms as teachers are to stage a series of strikes in the summer, two unions have announced
PA

Teachers are to stage a one-day national walkout in the autumn in a continuing row over pay, pensions and workload, it was announced on Friday.

Every region in England and Wales will be affected by regional strikes in the first and third week of October, the NASUWT and the National Union of Teachers (NUT) said.

This will be followed by a national strike later in the term.

The announcement comes just weeks after the two unions staged a regional walkout in the north west.

The government has condemned the action.

The unions said that there will be rolling strikes across England and Wales in the week beginning September 30 and the week beginning October 14.

This will be followed by a one-day, all-out national strike before the end of the autumn term.

Chris Keates, general secretary of the NASUWT, said: "The secretary of state needs to take seriously the very deep concerns and anger of teachers and school leaders."

She added: "The secretary of state has the opportunity to avoid further national strike action by demonstrating that he is willing to engage seriously on the issues that we have put to him."

Christine Blower, general secretary of the NUT, said: "Strike action is always a last resort for teachers and they are very well aware of the difficulties that this causes for parents and pupils. Teachers, however, have been left with no option. If we do not take a stand now to defend the profession, then the consequences for teacher recruitment and education will be disastrous for all."

Education Secretary Michael Gove wrote to both unions in March to say he was willing to meet them to discuss their dispute, but also insisting that the ''direction of travel'' on both of their key issues - pay and pensions - is ''fixed''.

Under the Government's reforms, due to come into effect from this autumn, teachers' pay will be linked to performance in the classroom - with schools setting salaries, rather than following a national framework. Changes have also been made to public sector pensions.

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