Strikes get under way

Teachers took to the streets of the West Midlands today to protest over a 2.45 per cent pay increase.

The strike has affected more than 300 schools and colleges in the Black Country and Staffordshire and thousands of pupils. Some parents were forced to take the day off work.

The NUT is demanding a four per cent increase instead of the 2.45 per cent with further rises of 2.3 per cent over the next two years.

The average pay of a new teacher is £20,133 and an experienced one £34,281.

The Government today revealed that teachers had enjoyed a 19 per cent real terms increase in pay since 1997.

But protesters from Wolverhampton, Dudley and Staffordshire headed for the main rally in Birmingham today waving placards demanding 'Fair Pay For Teachers'.Kiki Singer, aged 30, a teacher from Hill Avenue Primary school in Lanesfield, Wolverhampton, said: "We are taking action today because we believe the pay offer is very poor. Inflation keeps going up and up but our pay keeps getting cut rather than rising.

"To those who have criticised today's strike I would ask them to think a bit more about what teachers do. We work incredibly hard and have a massive workload. Most teachers work 50 or 60 hour weeks, week after week. It is clear the government is determined to make pay cut after pay cut in the public sector."

Armed with placards and posters, more than 20 members of the National Union of Teachers (NUT) gathered outside Wolverhampton Civic Centre this morning. There were other demonstrations in Sandwell and Birmingham.

General secretary of Wolverhampton NUT said today's industrial action was not designed to hurt children's education and he believed teachers were the backbone of the country.