Teachers to strike June 30

ABOUT a thousand Hertfordshire-based teachers, including those in St Albans district, are expected to join a one-day strike to defend pensions next Thursday.

Christine Hood, an area representative of the Hertfordshire branch of the National Union of Teachers (NUT), said primary, secondary and special educational needs teachers throughout St Albans would join counterparts in England and Wales in the coordinated walk-out on June 30.

NUT members recently voted overwhelmingly in favour of industrial action to defend members’ pensions, with a massive 92 per cent of those who voted pledging support for the strike.

The union will be joined by members of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL), who have not gone on strike for many years. Both organisations have informed employers and the chair of governors of balloted schools.

Christine said a strike rally will be held next Thursday at Roller City in Welwyn Garden City for about one-and-a-half hours from 10.30am.

A spokesman for the Department for Education has warned that the teachers’ strike will damage pupils’ learning and inconvenience parents.