Strike disrupting 8000 schools
About a third of schools in England and Wales have been disrupted by the first national teachers' strike in 21 years.
The walkout by thousands of teachers has closed or partially closed up to 8,000 schools, and forced parents to stay at home or find childcare.
The National Union of Teachers (NUT) is staging more than 50 rallies across the countries, as members demand a 4.1% pay rise rather than the 2.45% on offer.
Schools minister Jim Knight said it was a good deal and he felt parents' anger.
This one-day strike, condemned by all the main political parties, is the opening move in what the NUT says will be a long-term campaign over pay.
Widespread disruption
Throughout the morning, teachers formed picket lines outside their schools.
Some held banners aloft bearing slogans such as "Where's the money, Darling?" Others handed out leaflets to parents to explain why they were taking action.
In London, more than 1,000 teachers are marching to Westminster as other rallies are staged in Manchester, Liverpool, Preston, Bolton, Leeds, Newcastle, Sheffield, Hull, Cardiff and Wrexham.
Earlier this week, a survey indicated a third of schools were likely to be affected, meaning lost lessons for more than 2.5 million pupils.
Early reports on Thursday suggest:
# In Liverpool, the NUT said just seven out of 194 schools were fully open
# In Cumbria, more than 90 schools are shut and 53 are partially closed
# In Birmingham, the largest local education authority in the UK, 160 schools are affected. The Birmingham Chamber of Commerce anticipated the strike would cost the city millions of pounds as parents stayed at home or looked for alternative childcare arrangements
# In Wales, half of schools (900) are shut or partially shut. At one partially-closed primary school in Cardiff, one twin had to go to school, the other, who was in a different class, stayed at home
# In Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire, more than 170 schools are either closed or partially shut
# Widespread disruption is also expected to schools in Leeds, Manchester, Suffolk, Nottinghamshire and inner London
But many other schools will be unaffected - as the strike is only being staged by the NUT without the support of other teachers' unions.
The NUT is protesting against a pay deal that they say represents an erosion of earnings.
Teachers have been offered a three-year deal worth 2.45% this year and then increases of 2.3% in the following years.
Christine Blower, the union's acting head, said: "What we're saying to the government is, if you really do value teachers, then make sure that they're paid at least at the level of inflation - which we take to be the RPI, which is 4.1%."
Pay battle
She said school staff must not be forced to pay the price in lower earnings for pressures on public sector pay.
But the government rejects the complaint - arguing that parents will not be sympathetic.
"I think parents are bewildered because they hear that the average teacher earns about £34,000," said schools minister Jim Knight.
"Their pay has gone up by 19% in real terms since 1997 and that at 2.45% they're getting more than the 2% benchmark for public sector pay last year and that it's a reasonable deal."
Mr Knight said teachers were being rewarded well for doing a good job, but asked the NUT to respect the view of the independent pay review body, which recommended the pay award.
NUT defends teachers' strike
"I share the anger of parents who see the children missing out on education so close to their exams."
Lesley Auger, a teacher for 30 years, said she had seen periods of boom and bust.
"We have been paid well but we have had to face three years of low... pay rises and we are now looking at the prospect of another three years of the same," she said.
Conservative schools spokesman Nick Gibb said it was "deeply regrettable" so many children would have their education disrupted by this strike, particularly those with important exams coming up.
Liberal Democrat school spokesman David Laws argued teachers should have a no-strike agreement.
Source: BBC News, 24th April 2008
23rd Apr 2008
