West Sussex braces for teachers’ strike

The National Union of Teachers, Britain’s biggest teaching union, called the strike as a result of the Government’s failure to enter into meaningful talks to resolve the dispute over pay, pensions, job cuts and workload, a spokesperson said.

“Teachers have been pushed into strike action in defence of education. Pay freezes and big increases in pension contributions have left us nearly 20 per cent worse off.

“Yet our pensions are going to be worse and we will have to teach to 68 to claim them. The effect of this attack on teachers is that fewer and fewer young people are training to be teachers and the shortages are already affecting schools in West Sussex with more and more non teachers in front of classes.

“The Government is encouraging schools to fill the gap with untrained staff. Left to run its course, this policy will undermine the state education system and deny students a decent education.”