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Teachers to vote over pay strikes Teachers' pay dispute escalates
(about 1 hour later)
Teachers have voted to ballot on a rolling campaign of one-day strikes over pay and class sizes. Teachers have escalated their dispute with the government by voting to ballot on a campaign of industrial action over pay, workload and class sizes.
The National Union of Teachers (NUT) will ballot members on a series of possible walkouts in England and Wales.The National Union of Teachers (NUT) will ballot members on a series of possible walkouts in England and Wales.
The move came after delegates at the union's annual conference in Manchester condemned the prime minister's approach to limiting public sector workers' pay.The move came after delegates at the union's annual conference in Manchester condemned the prime minister's approach to limiting public sector workers' pay.
The union is already balloting its members on a one-day walkout over pay on 24 April. The NUT is already balloting on a one-day walkout over pay on 24 April.
Ian Murch, from the NUT's ruling executive, said: "If I were you Mr Brown I would be doing my sums again." The ballot closes at the end of the month and if successful will lead to the first national strike for 22 years.
He added: "You wouldn't like us when we are angry - and we are getting a bit angry now." Second ballot
Delegates have now endorsed a motion which will enable the executive to call further strikes if a 10% pay rise is not agreed. Delegates have now endorsed a motion calling for a rolling programme of action if next month's strike is agreed.
It also calls for the NUT to draw up a strategy to protect teachers' salaries, reduce their workload and limit class sizes.
The vote gives the union the power to ballot its members on either a series of strikes or lower level industrial action, but the detail of what happens depends on how the second ballot is phrased and whether it is successful.
Ministers have announced a 2.45% rise for teachers in England and Wales this year, rising to 2.3% in 2009 and 2010.Ministers have announced a 2.45% rise for teachers in England and Wales this year, rising to 2.3% in 2009 and 2010.
'Boom and bust' But the NUT claims this is a pay cut in real terms because it is below the true rate of inflation.
But the NUT claims this is a pay cut in real-terms because it is below the real rate of inflation. Economic climate
It wants the government to use the Retail Price Index for its calculations on public sector pay, rather than the Consumer Price Index which is lower.It wants the government to use the Retail Price Index for its calculations on public sector pay, rather than the Consumer Price Index which is lower.
Before we reach the bottom of the trough we are doing something about it Steve SinnottNUT general secretary Ian Murch, from the NUT's ruling executive, warned the PM: "If I were you Mr Brown I would be doing my sums again.
Speaking before the conference, NUT general secretary Steve Sinnott said teachers had experienced "boom and bust" in their wage packets throughout the 1980s and 1990s. "You wouldn't like us when we are angry - and we are getting a bit angry now."
Whenever there had been an increase in teachers' pay, inflation always caught up with that rise, he said. And he told Schools Secretary Ed Balls to prepare for a fight, adding: "If I were you Mr Balls, I would put my tin hat on right now."
"Before we reach the bottom of the trough we are doing something about it," he added. NUT president Bill Greenshields said: "We don't do the job for money, but we can't do it without. If a society values its children, it will value its teachers."
Mr Sinnott also called on ministers to reconsider the 2.45% offer, urging them to prevent the "sapping of teachers' morale and the recruitment and retention crisis" that will come from real-terms cuts in teachers' pay.
'Fair and responsible'
The motion also calls for the union to draw up a strategy to protect teachers' salaries, reduce their workload and set a limit on class sizes.
It should also ease the financial burden and seek funding for state schools at the same level of those in the independent sector.
A spokeswoman for the Department for Children said strike action would only disrupt children's learning.A spokeswoman for the Department for Children said strike action would only disrupt children's learning.
She said the pay offer was recommended by an independent body. She added that the rise for teachers was "both fair and responsible in the current economic climate". She said the pay offer was recommended by an independent body and was "both fair and responsible in the current economic climate".
"Everybody understands, including teachers, that we need to have a firm control of public sector pay.""Everybody understands, including teachers, that we need to have a firm control of public sector pay."
'Sleeping giant'
But Lewisham delegate Martin Powell-Davies warned: "Our members are ground down, our members are being forced out by workloads and low pay."
Radnor delegate Mary Compton said: "We are at last waking the sleeping giant which is our union's ability to take strike action and defend state education."
Another delegate from East London, Paul McGarr, said: "The government has the money to give us what we need - two words prove that Northern Rock."
He added that half a million teachers on strike and marches and rallies in every area could make the government change its mind.